The safety team was on the scene almost immediately, but took its time to assess the damage before removing Kubica from a still-intact safety cell. The trip to the medical centre was a short one, the unit being based at the hairpin, and initial reports suggest that the driver is lucid but suffering a broken leg.
With debris having been scattered over a wide area - and having already caused more than a few drivers problems as they negotiated flying parts - the safety car was a necessity for the next six laps, before Hamilton again leapt out to a big lead, The Briton had tailgated the Mercedes down the back straight and was already 1.9secs clear of Heidfeld as he crossed the line to complete the controlled period on lap 33.
McLaren's young protégé now headed Heidfeld, Alonso, Rosberg,
Anthony Davidson,
Ralf Schumacher, Webber, Massa, Fisichella and Sato in the top ten - the leading
Super Aguri and
Toyota yet to have stopped - but the order was about to be shaken up by the first wave of penalties as Alonso and Rosberg finally took their stop-go punishments, which had been confirmed but not permitted during the safety car period. The pair dropped to 15th and 17th respectively as a result.
Davidson's strong run came to an abrupt end as he pitted to find that his crew was not ready for him, probably the result of the Briton having decided to make his way to the stall after locking up at the chicane and running into the pit-lane. He dropped to the rear of the now 17-car field, following
David Coulthard's gearbox-induced retirement.
Wile Alonso embarked on a recovery drive that would see him working his way rapidly through the midfield runners, Rosberg blunted his points challenge further by indulging in a spot of synchronised spinning with
Jarno Trulli, having dived inside the Toyota into turn one. Both resumed, but the
Williams star was badly delayed as he fished for first.
