Fernando Alonso dedicates his British Grand Prix pole position to Marussia test driver De Villota, who lost her right eye in an accident earlier this week
Fernando Alonso dedicated his British Grand Prix pole position to Maria de Villota as the Marussia test driver continues to recover from the injuries she sustained in a testing crash.u00a0De Villota lost her right eye after hitting the tailgate of a service truck at Duxford Airfield.
Fernando Alonso drives at the Silverstone Circuit in Northampton on Saturday. Pic/Getty Images
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The 32-year-old is in a “serious but stable condition” at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge after undergoing lengthy surgery. And Alonso said his 21st F1 pole position was for his fellow Spaniard.
The Ferrari driver said: “Yes (this pole position is for Maria), she is having some difficult moments, her family as well.u00a0“We had some terrible news at the beginning of the week from Marussia and anything we do this weekend is for her and hopefully we can give strength to her and her family and we wish her a very good recovery.”
Fernando Alonso
Alonso pipped Red Bull’s Mark Webber to top spot with a lap of one minute 51.746 seconds after the session had been red-flagged for 92 minutes after torrential rainfall left the tracksoaked.
Maria de Villota
First since 2010
While the pole is Alonso’s first since the 2010 Singapore Grand Prix, he is not sure how much influence it will have on the proceedings today, with more rain forecast.u00a0He said: “If it is wet or changeable conditions like we have had this weekend, grid positions are not really important as if it rains and starts drying out, some guys near the back who have nothing to lose can change tyres and maybe make up some places.u00a0“But we are competitive in the dry, on the wets and the intermediates.”
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