Kevin Magnussen will drive in place of Fernando Alonso in Australia, because of the Spaniard’s concussion.
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Joe Saward writes about F1 and the world
Kevin Magnussen will drive in place of Fernando Alonso in Australia, because of the Spaniard’s concussion.
joeblogsf1 
Wow, this is really serious for teflonso. This whole story is a pile of crap. I’ve raced dangerous machines all my life and know alot about head injury. He did not suffer enough of a thump to warrant all this. He’s got a serious problem, but its not what we are being told. I fear its more serious. It could be the end for him racing, at least for a while. We will know in 3 weeks.
Sorry you don’t know anything about head injuries. Ever since the NFL scandals doctors are a lot more cautious with repetitive risk of concussion injuries.
It’s the same in the NBA, whenever is suspected of having a concussion, he is out. They acutally have a concussion policy summary for everybody to read on they website. FIA, your turn…
Please, spare us your medical wisdom.
I know literally nothing about head injuries; however, five minutes of research into Second Impact Syndrome educated me enough to know that you are talking out of your rear end.
F1sidecar: Please be offended by what I am about to say: You are an idiot.
Wow, that is a big surprise. Lets hope for full recovery soon I want to see him up against JB.
Actually its my fault. I admit to celebrating wildly when Ron D announced Alonso in and Kev out. Mistake.
Wow, didn’t see that one coming! And so soon to announce it, would have expected them to at least wait another 3-4 days before making the call (and have Magnussen already prepare himself in the background).
didn’t Ron say there was no concussion…
doesn’t smell right
Yes, he did. He also said he’d been briefly unconsious. If the loss of consciousness was impact related, he would necessarily be concussed.
Ron Dennis. Oh yes, that celebrated medical doctor chap….
Wow! Guess that hit was harder than we were led to believe.
if the Mc was the Mercedes, i am sure Fernando will pass avay the Doc recommandations and will be at the weel in Austarlia ..
I would not be surprised if this was driven by Alonso’s personal accident or Mclaren’s key person insurers, on what must be a high value policy/ies. A second concussion with a month could have potentially very serious consequences. For Alonso’s long term health, this is a very sensible decision. It would be good to see the rugby authorities taking an equally stringent approach.
Wilson
I’d assumed is PA insurance was part of his current account with Santander.
Which is all the press release had to say. Yet it was a page long, leaving them wide open to sceptics accusing them of protesting too much.
Has someone new taken over doing McLaren’s PR? It seems like they’ve completely mishandled what’s a relatively routine story.
Given the recent events in F1 and also the ongoing comments in American football and rugby about concussions this seems eminently sensible and sadly it seems as though he is not going to miss much at this stage of the new McLaren Honda anyway!!
I’m surprised he doesn’t have a mysterious tennis injury. Something is rotten in the State of Denmark. Unless you’re Kevin.
That’s entirely sensible, as head trauma is not a matter to trifle with!
I think most people visit this site for news beyond the headlines. Which this post clearly isn’t… Just my 2c.
Use the 2c to call someone…
heh heh
That you CB?
Well, that’s completely incorrect. You can have that two cents back.
Sometimes this is a good site to visit for a quality zinger and the chuckles they provide. Taking a wild guess he’s a little busy at the moment.
There are plenty of websites which will offer you a detailed analysis of what this will potentially mean for Denmark, what the words “will drive” really mean in depth, and define concussion in all its forms. I’m also sure that if there’s more to read into this we’ll hear about it in due course from Joe, if not we should take it at face value. Why do you need 1000 words when 16 will do?
Its’ obvious. Alonso feels fine. Wants to drive. Doctors say there is a risk. Insurance people say “No way, Jose”
After the unusually long hospital stay and some strange press releases from the team, I thought this may end up being the case.
I wonder if Alonso is disappointed with the car and is thinking of getting out of it. I suspect if McLarens have a poor race in Australia, he may miss more races. He drove for Renault when it was not competitive, so maybe I’m wrong, but with a lot of talk of sabbatical prior to landing McLaren drive maybe he will bail.
Time will tell.
Appropriately brief . . .
Will obligingly suppress my own conspiracy theory.
“I wonder if Alonso is disappointed with the car and is thinking of getting out of it.”
He. Was. Concussed. And possibly is still showing signs of it, or, they are just being extra precautious.
I don’t know how much plainer anyone can put it.
As for Alonso trying to get out of it, well when he was in hospital all he wanted to do was go out and test the car. Not a sign of a man wanting to “get out of it.”
That would be the concussion that Ron Dennis said he didn’t have. Marvellous. No wonder these people can’t find a title sponsor.
That would be the concussion that his DOCTORS said did not show on his neurological exams but was suspected given two head impacts and loss of consciousness. Given both Schumacher and Bianchi are suffering TBI’s (Schumacher from a much slower and ‘milder’ ski impact comparitively) is it any wonder they (and the insurance men!) are being ultra cautious with advising Alonso against the high risk endeavour until his brain has time to heal any less aspected concussion micro damage? It’s not brain surgery – well, not exactly…
Nail/Hammer/Hit etc etc….right on the mark AuraF1! The Bianchi accident outcome is probably not so much in mind of Drs & Insurers than the Schuey one, although that was obviously at much lower speed. Having said that it was a bang on a hard object by a helmeted head. I’m sure that any Dr or Insurer would think of this is connection with allowing Ferdy back to race in 2 weeks, and think…ermm, no not really a great idea right now….let’s just wait a little while to make sure! Logic really and protecting the driver against his natural instincts!
Is this the single most biggest McLaren mistake to date? This McLaren fan is so not happy.
Insurance men dictate when concussion is involved
Exactly…..would you want to be the Dr signing a “fit to work” form with a $20 million dollar insurance plan riding on it!
Joe, do you still think that the explanation of Alonso’s crash provided by McLaren was not a lie?
Yes
with you on that.
Maybe he’s not paid his $100m fee to drive that he owes…
ho ho good point
Oh dear. More ammunition for the conspiracy theorists.
So what? What do they matter? Their track record is terrible.
A person can have delayed reactions- developing headaches several days afterwards. I speak from personal experience. Best to err on the side of caution.
Waiting for someone to use the word “skullduggery” in a comment.
Wait no longer as you just did
Someone in Somerset County told me it’s because Alonso is afraid to go up against JB.
Yes I heard that as well all the way down in New Zealand……..
I am astonished at the wild conspiracy theories. What is the “truth” that is not being told? Mclaren and Alonso are not hiding anything. Sure, his car was intact but the lateral forces were severe. He banged his head a few times and lost consciousness. His doctors have recommended him to avoid racing for a few weeks. Alonso is absolutely doing the right thing to delay his return. Have we forgotten Michael and Jules? Further, he is one of the highest paid drivers out there. The insurance companies will have bullet proof policies. I would have him be 100% fit before his return.
read the reaction of Boullier just after the accident .. front suspension damaged, rear suspension damaged, change box move and damaged and battery box move in the car ..
this is a reality, the car was damaged, it is not so evident than from a frontal choc but it is ..
Good news for Mark Blundell I guess. I wonder how long it will take McLaren to build the wider car? Hopefully they will have it ready in time for San Marino. In other news – what do you make of the Ligier conspiracy? Is it really a Benetton just with different sponsorship? I thought you had to build and design your own car.
Haha. I can’t wait to see how Pedro Diniz gets on in the second Manorussia.
For all you conspiracy theorists, the following can be found on the BBC website:
“….a team statement said doctors had recommended he should limit his activity “so as to minimise the chances of second impact syndrome”.
“Second impact syndrome occurs when a patient suffers another concussion before recovering from the first. It can result in raised intra-cranial pressure, prolonged coma and can be fatal. ”
“Doctors say recovery from concussion cannot be predicted and that it varies from patient to patient.”
“They added he had already restarted his physical training, with the backing of his doctors.”
I have not reason to doubt the accuracy or truthfulness of these reports, or, like Joe, the veracity of McLaren’s statements.
Suggest you conspirators profess your doubts from the Nevada sound stage where the moon landings were allegedly broadcast from.
Fernando is absolutely driven to win the drivers championship. As is Ron, as is Mclaren. There will be huge disappointment all round. And for us we are robbed of Alonso vs Button in the first Grand Prix.
However, ‘second impact syndrome’ is a common sense medical approach.
No conspiracy, no secrets and no lies. Just a common sense precaution.
Just as it says on the tin.
Gut feeling, do you reckon McLaren will have Kevin or Fernando in the car for Malaysia Joe?
I suspect it will be Fernando
Some of you folks may recall Ralf Schumacher being advised against racing after a heavy concussion (not his first either) at, I think, Indianapolis, on the basis that he was fine, but should he have another similar accident within a few weeks he could suffer irreparable brain damage.
Surely this is a similar case?
Remember the state Nelson Piquet was in in 1987 after his enormous impact with the Tamburello wall. He says now he was not right for the rest of that year.
Likewise, Martin Brundle tells of how he got back in the Tyrrell after his head-banging Monaco shunt and then asked Ken which way the track went out of the pits, at which point he was sensibly hoicked out of the car.
Do we want to go back to those days, or do we want our drivers fit and well and able to fight and push hard for the rest of the year? I’d be inclined to accept the medical advice thank you.
If anyone has any doubts, though, I’m sure if you visit the medical centre in Melbourne, they’ll issue some tin-foil hats…
I was in the stands above where Ralf hit at Indy. It was sickening, I mean, I thought he was dead, it was a hard hit – race noise was so loud you couldn’t hear it, but you almost felt it. If FA hit that hard, wow, he should rest. I don’t recall Ralf being the same on the track after that, which was a good decision by him re survival.
Yes, plenty more conspiracy theories abounding, but perhaps it’s just medically and financially wise not to put FA at risk of a further serious head impact just yet, particularly as the car may not each the chequered flag in Melbourne anyway. Maybe he will grace the grid come Malaysia. I hope so.
McLaren’s new PR guy (he must be new, surely?) must wish Ron Dennis would shut up.
RD/McLaren- Nope, Alonso was never unconscious the whole incident
RD-McLaren- Alonso was sedated because he might have been unconscious
RD-McLaren- Alonso was unconscious but will definitely race in Melbourne
RD/McLaren- Alonso won’t race in Melbourne
To me it’s no big deal, missing the first race in a McLaren-Honda this year is probably a blessing but the useless PR from McLaren has been, err, useless.
Uncle Ronny is still a little rusty from his layoff, he’ll be back at qualifying pace by mid season.
maybe this will help some of the conspiracy theorists see some sense…
https://formerf1doc.wordpress.com/2015/03/03/a-win-for-formula-1/
Thanks for posting that, very informative.
I think the risk and consequences of a ‘first race of the season’ accident was too high.Besides the chances of the new car seeing the chequered flag never mind the podium is virtually nil, and was probably the deciding factor. We don’t need another Bianchi situation in 2015.
Hey Joe! Shame I missed the AMA, but I really appreciate you doing it. I don’t comment too frequently, but have a great season, great travels, and although the sport has a long way to go in many respects, let’s focus on the positive aspects of this racing season!
And this is why they singed Jenson.
I am dismayed, but not surprised, by the quantum of conspiracy theorising and cynicism that has flowed from Joe’s brief report.
13 words, 2 facts and no need for all the salacious rumour mongering and (even worse in my eyes) the drooling slobbering reporting of other people’s rumours followed by the conspiratorial equivalent of popular science click-bait “10 reasons why Alonso was cheated by McLaren – you won’t believe what you read!!!!” Well, of course we won’t because it’s all crap and designed solely to create advertising revenue.
Concussion effects are not related to speed. In the rugby 6 nations championship in Europe, both England fullback Mike Brown and Wales winger George North suffered concussion at moderate “running” speed – up to 25kph..
North’s medical treatment drew criticism as he continued to play on, but Brown is being treated conservatively by England and he is still not fit 3 weeks after his injury, although he was carried off the pitch on a stretcher but watched the remainder of the game from the stands and seemed “lucid” to the casual viewer.
It’s worth remembering that F1 drivers are highly conditioned athletes, who undergo specialised training in order to withstand forces of up to 4G on their heads and necks – and that’s just the force experienced during “normal” cornering, acceleration, deceleration etc.. That force alone, without any impact, would probably be enough to induce concussion in the “I drove a Ford Cortina at 90mph once, don’t know what all the fuss is about” brigade. Alonso’s impact has been estimated at 30G…