Alonso quashes talk he woke up after crash thinking it was 1995

SEPANG (Malaysia) — Fernando Alonso has blown apart McLaren’s theory a gust of wind was the cause of the pre-season testing accident that forced him out of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

Alonso has been declared fit for Sunday’s Malaysian Grand Prix following an examination at the Sepang International Circuit by the FIA medical delegate and chief medical officer.

The double world champion sustained a concussion from the crash, which resulted in him missing the third and final test in Barcelona and the Australian Grand Prix two weeks ago.

McLaren had immediately dismissed suggestions there was any fault with their car, suggesting instead it was a “freak of nature” that resulted in Alonso losing control of his car and hitting a wall at the Circuit de Catalunya.

Now Alonso, conducting his first media session since the accident, claimed the steering wheel locked, forcing him off track.

“It was a normal concussion,” Alonso said. “I had it when I went to the hospital, but I went there in good condition.

But there is a time I don’t remember, from 2pm to 6pm — something like that.

“But everything was normal because of the medication they give you to go to the helicopter, and then to do some tests at the hospital.

“So everything was normal — I didn’t wake up in ’95, or speaking Italian, or all these things that were out there. I remembered the accident, and everything the following day.

“There is nothing in the data, anything clear we can spot and we can say it was that, but definitely there was a steering problem in the middle of turn three. It locked to the right. I approached the wall, braked at the last moment, downshifted from fifth to third.”

Attempting to explain McLaren’s rationale behind their early remarks, Alonso said part of the confusion stemmed from “the very early quotes and very early explanations”, and an “urgency to say something”.

Despite the apparent issue with the car, Alonso insists he has “zero problems” and “zero worries” with it, adding: “And after one month I’m probably the most checked driver in medical history, so we should fine — both parts!” THE DAILY TELEGRAPH