How McLaren & Fernando Alonso's explanations for his crash compare

McLaren, team boss Ron Dennis, and Fernando Alonso have all provided explanations for the Spaniard’s crash during testing in Barcelona on February 22 and the after-effects.

But how do their versions compare? Read on to find out…

What caused the crash?
McLaren: ‘His car ran wide at the entry to Turn Three – which is a fast uphill right-hander – allowing it to run onto the Astroturf that lines the outside of the track. A consequent loss of traction caused a degree of instability, spitting it back towards the inside of the circuit, where it regained traction and struck the wall side-on. Our findings indicate that the accident was caused by the unpredictably gusty winds at that part of the circuit at that time.’

Alonso: "We had a steering problem in the middle of Turn Three that locked into the right."

Did Alonso lose his memory?
McLaren racing director Eric Boullier: "It was just a normal concussion [with] a loss of temporary memory."

McLaren chief executive Ron Dennis: "There's some loss of memory but nothing abnormal."

Fernando Alonso: "There is a time I don’t remember in the hospital, from two o’clock to six o’clock or something like that...I remembered the accident and everything the following day."

Could a gust wind really have been the cause?
Ron Dennis: "There was a fan stood on the corner with his son who has communicated with us in the last few days to say it was extremely gusty in that corner. In all his previous runs Fernando was saying it's tricky because the wind is moving the car around. Our conclusions that it was related more to wind was based on his comments and the comments of a third party."

Fernando Alonso: "Definitely not. I don’t know if you’ve seen the video, but even a hurricane will not move the car at that speed. Also if you have any problem or any medical issue normally you will lose the power and go straight to the outside, never to the inside."

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Could a car failure have been to blame?
McLaren: ‘We can categorically state that there is no evidence that indicates that Fernando’s car suffered mechanical failure of any kind.’

Ron Dennis: "There was nothing abnormal that we could see."

Fernando Alonso: "It's clear that there was a problem in the car. It's not found on the data at the moment...there are spots here and there but there isn't a clear answer. If after one month we didn't find anything in the data then maybe whatever part was the problem was not available in the data so maybe it will never be."

Was Alonso knocked unconscious during the crash?
Ron Dennis: “He was unconscious for a relatively short period of time [in the car]. When he came to rest all we know is that the radio was on and we could hear him breathing, but there was no other noises."

Fernando Alonso: "I switched off the radio first because it was on and then l turned off the master switch to switch off the battery systems. I was perfectly conscious at that time."

Was Alonso unconcious after the crash?
McLaren: ‘Fernando was driven to the circuit's Medical Centre where the circuit's doctors gave him first aid. He was conscious and spoke with the doctors. However, as per usual procedure in such circumstances, he was then airlifted to hospital where he is undergoing precautionary checks.’

Fernando Alonso: "I lost conciousness in the ambulance or in the clinic at the circuit. But the doctors said this is normal from the medication they give you for the helicopter."

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