Fernando Alonso withdraws from Bahrain

Victim of a violent exit from the track during the opening Grand Prix of the 2016 season in Melbourne on March 20, Fernando Alonso will not compete in the second round of Bahrain this weekend. The two-time Spanish world champion was not authorized by FIA doctors to take the wheel on the Sakhir track, after having passed medical examinations.

“Following a medical examination carried out this morning in Bahrain, it was decided that the pilot McLaren-Honda Fernando Alonso is not expected to take part in the Bahrain Grand Prix this weekend, specifies the FIA ​​press release. Two sets of chest scans were compared, and it was decided that there was not enough evidence of resolution to clear him for safe running. A new chest scan was ordered before the Chinese Grand Prix and the results will be studied before he is cleared to race. »

McLaren will therefore debut in the Grand Prix the Belgian Stoffel Vandoorne, reserve driver from Woking and entered in Super Formula in Japan in 2016 (testing is currently underway), starting tomorrow for the first free practice sessions. In 2015, Fernando Alonso was replaced for the first race of the season by Kevin Magnussen after his accident during testing in Barcelona.