Female Formula One test driver suffers “life-threatening injuries”

Marussia's Spanish test driver Maria De Villota has suffered life-threatening injuries while testing the team's F1 car over in the UK. We hope she's okay...

At the end of last year we brought you a story that featured Maria De Villota who had been announced as the new Lotus test driver. Recently, she made a team switch to the poorly preforming Marussia, and it has had it's consequences.

According to official reports, it was De Villota’s first time testing out the team’s MR-01 race car at Duxford Airfield in Cambridgeshire, England, this morning.

So far it looks as though the car jumped from under De Villota while she was in the pits, propelling her into the back of a parked truck. It’s a horrible tragedy to have occurred to F1’s only female driver. Here’s what the team had to say:

“At approximately 09.15hrs BST this morning, Test Driver Maria De Villota had an accident in the team’s MR-01 race car at Duxford Airfield where she was testing the car for the first time.

"The accident happened at the end of her first installation run and involved an impact with the team’s support truck. Maria has been transferred to hospital. Once her medical condition has been assessed a further statement will be issued."

According to eyewitnesses, the front of the car was completely wrecked and De Villota’s helmet took the bulk of the impact. She lay motionless for at least 15 minutes, however, she did move her hands under her own power as paramedics took her to hospital.

We hope she pulls through...

De Villota in her F1 overalls