Racing
Associated Press 9y

Fernando Alonso misses Aussie GP

AutoRacing, Formula 1

LONDON -- Fernando Alonso did not race in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix following a crash during Formula One testing that sent him to the hospital for three days.

The team decided to avoid the chance of Alonso having another concussion -- second-impact syndrome -- following the accident at the Barcelona-Catalunya circuit last month, the team said in a statement.

McLaren maintained that Alonso's doctors "see no evidence whatsoever of any injury, and that they therefore describe him as entirely healthy from neurological and cardiac perspectives."

Reserve driver Kevin Magnussen was supposed to take Alonso's place in the race in Melbourne, but he suffered engine failure on the installation lap and did not start. As expected, Lewis Hamilton beat teammate Nico Rosberg in a one-two finish for Mercedes at the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday, as the team extended it 2014 dominance into the opening race of the new Formula One season.

McLaren expects Alonso to be back racing for the Malaysian Grand Prix on March 29.

"Fernando's doctors acknowledge that he feels fit and well, and that he regards himself as ready to race, and, that being the case, they are comfortable with the fact that he has already recommenced physical training," McLaren said.

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