Two-time Formula 1 world champion Fernando Alonso has been “involved in a road accident while cycling in Switzerland,” according to an official statement by the Alpine F1 Team. Luckily, the French squad has also confirmed that Alonso is fully conscious and awaiting further medical evaluation.
Alonso’s team announced the incident on Twitter, stating the Spaniard “is conscious and well in himself and awaiting further medical examinations tomorrow morning.” Alpine F1 Team stated no information on its driver’s condition will be shared until tomorrow, though some details may have trickled out via Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport.
According to the outlet, Alonso was hit by a car and is suspected to have sustained fractures. With some variation, bone injuries take an average of six to eight weeks to heal according to Cleveland Clinic, signaling Alonso could miss preseason tests to be held in Bahrain from March 12 to 14.
Depending on the severity of Alonso’s injuries, the famously tenacious F1 champion may insist on driving through the pain. His 2009 Renault teammate Romain Grosjean recently admitted to doing such, telling Race Fans two of his 10 podiums in F1 were achieved with a broken right hand. So, even if Alonso isn’t totally shipshape, he may grit his teeth and climb into the car anyway. It’s not something anyone would be wise to put past the never-say-die Spaniard.
Racing has gotten safer over the years, but on-track safety measures can do little to guarantee drivers’ wellbeing off it. Back in 2013, the motorsport world lost the company of Michael Schumacher to a skiing accident, and last summer, it almost lost Alex Zanardi too—though the Italian is reportedly capable of speaking again.
Of course, the nature of Alonso’s accident is reminiscent of what ultimately led to Nicky Hayden’s death in 2017. The MotoGP world champion was cycling in Italy when he was struck by a car head-on. The driver was ultimately found guilty and sentenced to jail.
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