“Heikki was airlifted to the Hospital General de Catalunya in Sant Cugat del Valles for precautionary checks, and he will remain there overnight. However, he has no broken bones and CT scans performed at the hospital confirm that he has no head injuries.
“The team is optimistic that he will make a full recovery over the next few days. Subject to the results of an FIA medical examination, we hope he will be able to compete in the Turkish Grand Prix.
“The precise cause or causes of his accident are not yet known. Our data shows evidence of a sudden tyre deflation shortly before the accident, but it is still too early to identify what triggered that deflation other than to say that it is likely to have been the result of a wheel rim failure.
“The impact was a relatively heavy one, but our car's passive safety devices, designed in compliance with the
FIA's safety regulations, protected the driver in the way they were intended to do. Equally, I would like to pay tribute to the FIA Medical Team, whose work was both rapid and efficient. Finally, the local Spanish marshals also did an excellent job.”
Norbert Haug [Mercedes-Benz – motorsport vice-president]:
“Heikki is ok, and this is the most important news today. We all would like to thank the medical team for their professional actions.
“Lewis was competitive and drove a great race with an excellent start. The drivers in the top three stayed reasonably close together – with a maximum gap of eight seconds on lap 46 – from the re-start after the safety car on lap 28 until the finish line on lap 66. We will now work very hard to make a further step forward.”
Mario Theissen [BMW – motorsport director]:
“First of all we are all relieved that after his accident
Heikki Kovalainen signalled he was ok. Robert lost a position at the start and was close behind
Lewis Hamilton turning into the first corner. He was almost as close to Hamilton when he finally crossed the finish line.
