Lewis crash at Valencia

[chap]

McLaren rookie Lewis Hamilton escaped unharmed after badly damaging one of the team's new MP4-22 cars in a crash in testing at Valencia on Thursday.

The 22-year-old, on just his second day in the team’s latest challenger, will not now complete his testing programme at the Spanish circuit as the car will not be able to be fixed in time for Friday.

"Lewis is uninjured but the MP4-22 he was driving is badly damaged and will not be repairable in Valencia for Lewis to continue his test programme tomorrow," a McLaren spokesman said.

"The cause of the accident is being investigated."

Hamilton's smash came after 33 laps on the second day of McLaren's running at the Ricardo Tormo circuit, which is its first serious test with the MP4-22.

The Briton, preparing for his F1 debut in Melbourne in March, had set a best lap of 1m12.596s, with team-mate Fernando Alonso 0.9s quicker on a 1m11.698s after 76 laps.

The double world champion will now complete the team’s programme in the other MP4-22 on Friday.

[Donney]

It's good to know he's OK.

[sams]

Alonso will be worried when his car will press the self-destruct button.

I assume that lewis didn't make a mistake and crash was due to some mechanical failure. Irrespective of mistake or a failure lewis confidence would have been shattered by now.

Why can't maclaren produce reliable car.

[Scuderia ferrari]

Well, nice to know Lewis is okay, but it's true testament to mclaren's crap cars. It suprises me that Fia let this load of dangerous junk race in the first place...year after bloody year.

[luvracin]

Well, nice to know Lewis is okay, but it's true testament to mclaren's crap cars. It suprises me that Fia let this load of dangerous junk race in the first place...year after bloody year.

FACT 1 : Hamilton crashed, see Mclaren press release.

FACT 2 : We DO NOT KNOW what caused the accident.

Let's stick to the facts before making wild statements.

Oh hang on, I've forgotten where I am.......

[Knock-on]

FACT 1 : Hamilton crashed, see Mclaren press release.

FACT 2 : We DO NOT KNOW what caused the accident.

Let's stick to the facts before making wild statements.

Oh hang on, I've forgotten where I am.......

Quite agree.

We do not know what caused this crash. It may have been driver error or a failure but it happened.

Lewis is a professional and I hope he will be ready to get into the car and give it 100% asap.

McLaren have a huge heritage and to say they build crap cars just shows ignorance of the sport.

[Ian McC]

Oh hang on, I've forgotten where I am.......

Exactly!

[futuretiger9]

I don't think that we should write either McLaren or Lewis Hamilton off on the basis of this incident. The youngster is made of steely stuff, and Ron Dennis has a pretty good record in terms of getting it "alright on the night".

[VkmSpouge]

Everyone has crashes, rookies more than most. Good thing Hamilton is alright.

[samuratt]

It is nice to hear he is ok, but i bet you he is very pissed off because he hasn't got a car to test on friday...

That reminds me when i was a child and I was given a brand new toy. Two hours later the toy was broken (in this case it was my fault ) and I cried because i could not use it anymore!!!!