Fernando Alonso has admitted he was willing to try and compete in this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix with fractured ribs.
The double world champion has been advised on medical grounds to sit out of the race after a series of tests carried out by the FIA doctors at the track’s medical centre.
Alonso suffered a horrific accident at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix; the Spaniard made contact with Esteban Gutierrez at turn 3, leaving him shaken by the incident.
Despite this disappointment of missing a second race in two years, (Alonso missed last year’s Australian Grand Prix after a crash in pre-season testing) Alonso says he understands the FIA’s decision.
“I have a broken rib and I’m in some pain so it’s not easy to sleep,” he said during Thursday’s drivers press conference.
“I would like to sit in the car and see how is the pain in the car and enjoy driving the car. You understand this is motorsport, every time you step in the car it is a risk.
“I am disappointed, we want to race, we love the sport, so when you come here and you cannot even try, it is always sad – but it is understandable. I respect the decision.”
When asked if he thought it was possible to race in China in two weeks, he said: “It is not 100 percent. So there will be another test. I need to do in the next eight to 10 days. After that test, the FIA will evaluate again as they did now.
“First of all is the safety – and hopefully everything is okay. We need to see with the next test.”
Alonso will be replaced by McLaren reserve driver Stoffel Vandoorne, who makes his Formula One debut.
