Skull surgery for de Villota, loses eye
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| Maria De Villota, seen above at a previous Lotus Renault test, has unfortunately lost her right eye in the Marussia F1 crash when she lost control of the car in the pits and rammed the team's truck. We are saddened by this knowing many driver head injuries can be avoided if open wheel cars had a canopy. Maybe someday. We can only hope. |
Further to the accident at Duxford Airfield yesterday involving the Marussia F1 Team Test Driver, Maria De Villota, the Team can now provide a further update on Maria’s medical condition.
Subsequent to yesterday’s official statements from the Marussia F1 Team, the surgical team at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge embarked on a lengthy procedure to address the serious head and facial injuries sustained by Maria in the accident. The operation began yesterday afternoon and she was in theatre until this morning. Maria remains in a critical but stable condition.
John Booth, Team Principal of the Marussia F1 Team, with the consent and support of Maria’s family, would like to give the following update, which provides as much detail as is possible at this time:
“Maria emerged from theatre at Addenbrooke’s Hospital this morning after a lengthy operation to address the serious head and facial injuries she received in the accident at Duxford Airfield yesterday.
“We are grateful for the medical attention that Maria has been receiving and her family would like to thank the Neurological and Plastics surgical teams. However it is with great sadness that I must report that, due to the injuries she sustained, Maria has lost her right eye.
“Maria’s care and the wellbeing of her family remain our priority at this time. Her family are at the hospital and we are doing everything possible to support them.
“We ask for everyone’s patience and understanding with regard to updates on Maria’s condition. We will provide further information when it is appropriate to do so and with consideration for her family.
“In the meantime, we would all like to take this opportunity to praise the emergency services at Duxford Airfield, who were on stand-by yesterday, as is usual procedure for a Formula One test.
“With regard to the accident, we have embarked on a very comprehensive analysis of what happened and this work continues for the moment.
“Finally, we have been overwhelmed by messages of support for Maria, her family and the Team and we would like to express our sincere gratitude for those."
07/04/12 (GMM) Maria de Villota is undergoing surgery after fracturing her skull in Tuesday's accident, Spanish motor racing federation chief Carlos Gracia said on Wednesday.
And the British newspaper the Mirror said doctors are battling to save the sight in one of the Marussia test driver's eyes, after her helmeted head took the brunt of the impact into the side of a lorry loading ramp at the Duxford airfield.
German reports say the 32-year-old Spaniard, whose father is the former F1 racer Emilio de Villota, looks set to be transferred from her hospital in Cambridge to a hospital in London, perhaps for further surgery.
But Graeme Lowdon, the Marussia team's chief executive, is quoted by Auto Motor und Sport as saying the situation "looks a bit better" for de Villota than it did early on Tuesday.
"We are currently waiting for news about how the operation is going, and then we'll see what part of or if the brain is affected," high-ranking Spanish FIA official Gracia told Spanish radio Cadena Ser.
"I would like to believe that Maria is no longer in danger, but only the doctors can judge that and there are so many conflicting reports — as we know, these things take on a life of their own," he added.