McLaren's Fernando Alonso to miss Australian GP

Fernando Alonso will miss the F1 season opener in Australia

Barcelona, March 3 (IANS) McLaren driver Fernando Alonso will miss the season-opening Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne as he has been advised rest by doctors, following the concussion he suffered after a crash at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya during testing on February 22. Danish Kevin Magnussen, who was the main driver for the Woking-based team last season, will replace Alonso for the March 15 race.

A McLaren statement on Tuesday said that doctors find the Spaniard "asymptomatic of any medical issue; that they see no evidence whatsoever of any injury; and that they, therefore, describe him as entirely healthy from neurological and cardiac perspectives alike.

"However, Fernando's doctors have recommended to him that, following the concussion, for the time being he should seek to limit as far as is possible any environmental risk factors that could potentially result in his sustaining another concussion so soon after his previous one, so as to minimise the chances of second impact syndrome, as is normal medical procedure when treating athletes after concussions."

Though Alonso "feels ready to race", he accepted the advice and the two McLaren-Honda cars will now be driven by Jenson Button and reserve driver Magnussen.

The two-time World Champion is likely to return to the cockpit for the Malaysian Grand Prix on March 29.