Alonso airlifted to hospital

[dr_gn]

hora said:

Where's the sauce for the 3rd night in hospital?

On the shelf with the mustard.

[Megaflow]

Dr. Gary Hartstein has spoken about it now with comments such as:

1) Don't know what the story is with this non-accident, with a non-injured driver who spends 2 days in hospital
2) No Doubt there is more to this story than meets the eye. Only thing made clear by McLaren comms is that that are at best... disingenuous
3) By definition a successful sedation yesterday would require absolutely no recovery per se today
4) A story, which was so banal to not be worth mentioning (driver hits wall, driver concussed, driver hosp'd) gets curiouser and curiouser
5) Can't speculate, but not a scintilla of doubt that at best we've been given the tinist sliver of truth; at worst treated like we were fools

So, safe to safe he doesn't believe a word of whats been said either.

I'm starting to think there is more than an element of truth to the fainting and McLaren are a massive CYA excercise.

Their line about drivers not braking and changing gears when unconscious does not hold true either. Massa managed to just about lock his front wheels after being smacked in the head with a ~1kg spring.

Edited by Megaflow on Wednesday 25th February 08:14

[Alicatt1]

Buyers remorse? He should have bought the Redbull instead

[998420]

Ahonen said:

I'm going to pick you up on this. I was about 250 metres away from from where he crashed and I can tell you that the wind was horrendous yesterday morning, gusting all over the place and changing direction constantly ('helicopter wind', as it's known). The drivers were having a lot of trouble with the wind, both in terms of strength and direction, all morning. The times from the morning were so slow because of this.

Please don't pretend to make such statements of certainty from 10km away.

Well, I did state that I am 10k away and used the term "noticed". It seemed especially poignant as the day after, when i wrote that, it was, here. One thing I have learned in 8 years here is that Spain seems to have far more microclimate action than I ever remember in the UK, so I totally accept that the circuit may have had a typhoon kicking off yet it be dry and calm here.

But, the wind excuse is pure BS. When was another car blown off course at Montmelo ? Let alone way below the normal speed in T3 ? Cars can get buffeted amfew inches here and there, but the wind does not lock your wheels and steer you violently into a wall. Vettel said it looked weird, "he turned right into the barrier" Circuit photographers said he appeared to be unconscious before the impact, he certainty was after, Brundle noted poignantly how his actions appeared weird and now doctors, Gary Hartstein, are saying that there is no precedent for his elongated stay in Hospital.

[red_slr]

Its all mucho strange that's for sure.
I like Alonso, I just hope its nothing serious - perhaps an underlying medical issue etc.

[dr_gn]

998420 said:

Ahonen said:

Brundle noted poignantly how his actions appeared weird and now doctors, Gary Hartstein, are saying that there is no precedent for his elongated stay in Hospital.

Presumably neither of whom have the first clue as to the specifics of Alonso's true condition or treatment?

[IforB]

dr_gn said:

Presumably neither of whom have the first clue as to the specifics of Alonso's true condition or treatment?

Nor do any of us, hence the speculation.

[Vaud]

dr_gn said:

Presumably neither of whom have the first clue as to the specifics of Alonso's true condition or treatment?

True, but the latter is pretty well versed in what drugs would be administered track side and how long they take to get out of someones system. He is reasonably well informed as to probable treatments and approaches.

[anonymous-user]

IforB said:

Nor do any of us, hence the speculation.

Always a rash statement to make as you don't actually know what everyone else knows. Someone here might very well know what's going on.

That person might have already answered the question or may be spreading misinformation.

All we do know is we don't know what everyone else knows.

Edited by el stovey on Wednesday 25th February 10:02

[woof]

Let's see if K-Mag is back in the car tomorrow.
There's a possibility that the scan showed up something more serious that had not been spotted before. I think that's the most likely scenario here.

[Blib]

el stovey said:

IforB said:

Nor do any of us, hence the speculation.

Always a rash statement to make as you don't actually know what everyone else knows. Someone here might very well know what's going on.

That person might have already answered the question or may be spreading misinformation.

All we do know is we don't know what everyone else knows.

Edited by el stovey on Wednesday 25th February 10:02

Our very own Donald Rumsfeld.

[whatleytom]

-EDIT ignore, just seen this posted above. :embarrased:

Whenever there is anything medical to do with drivers I always look to see if Gary Hartstein is giving an opinion, as in my brief experience he has been very close to the mark. Some quotes from his twitter account:

Gary Hartstein said:

Don’t know what the story is with this non-accident, with a non-injured driver who spends 2 days in hospital.

No doubt there is more to this story than meets the eye. Only thing made clear by McLaren comms is that they are at best disingenuous.

By definition a successful sedation yesterday would require absolutely no recovery per se today.

A story, which was so banal to not be worth mentioning (driver hits wall, driver concussed, driver hosp’s) gets curiouser and curiouser.

Can’t speculate, but not a scintilla of doubt that at best we’ve been given the tiniest sliver of truth; at worst treated like we were fools.

My opinion, a medical issue has come up before the crash occured, which is potentially ongoing.

I hope above all else though Fernando is ok, and makes a full and rapid recovery from whatever has happened!

[fomb]

whatleytom said:

My opinion, a medical issue has come up before the crash occured, which is potentially ongoing.

This would surprise me. I can't believe that McLaren would sign a driver with a condition that they were aware of. Regardless of how good the driver is, if he's a potential liability you'd use someone else surely?

[Cabinet Enforcer]

Last year I suffered a double fracture of the skull and collapsed 6 hours into my subsequent hospital visit, I spent less time in hospital than Alonso has (assuming he didn't get out yesterday).

McLarens almost instant statement that Alonso was completely fine are fishier than a rotten paella IMO.

[whatleytom]

fomb said:

whatleytom said:

My opinion, a medical issue has come up before the crash occured, which is potentially ongoing.

This would surprise me. I can't believe that McLaren would sign a driver with a condition that they were aware of. Regardless of how good the driver is, if he's a potential liability you'd use someone else surely?

I mean to say, an unknown issue in the car, immediately before the accident to mean he crashed.

As much as I am a McLaren fan, I really can't stand the way they conduct themselves at points. Just be clear from the beginning.

[Paul-M]

The mystery deepens. Bbc reporting he remains in hospital. Some of the statements coming out are peculiar. No one needs 3 days in hospital to get recover from a sedative. As a trauma and orthopaedic surgeon I perform operations with patients under full anaesthetic who are up and about and home a few hours later. Sedation with an agent such as Midazolam would take a couple of hours max to wear off. It would also be very unusual to keep someone in hospital for this length of time post concussion unless there were ongoing neurological signs. But that would of course warrant further investigations with CT etc. Something is going on, who knows if we will ever find out. Hope Fernando gets better soon.

[tuffer]

I really hate to say this and I hope to god it is not at all relevant but remember poor Richard Burns collapsing at the wheel of his road car and subsequently discovering he had a tumor.

[LaurasOtherHalf]

whatleytom said:

-EDIT ignore, just seen this posted above. :embarrased:

Whenever there is anything medical to do with drivers I always look to see if Gary Hartstein is giving an opinion, as in my brief experience he has been very close to the mark. Some quotes from his twitter account:

Gary Hartstein said:

Don’t know what the story is with this non-accident, with a non-injured driver who spends 2 days in hospital.

No doubt there is more to this story than meets the eye. Only thing made clear by McLaren comms is that they are at best disingenuous.

By definition a successful sedation yesterday would require absolutely no recovery per se today.

A story, which was so banal to not be worth mentioning (driver hits wall, driver concussed, driver hosp’s) gets curiouser and curiouser.

Can’t speculate, but not a scintilla of doubt that at best we’ve been given the tiniest sliver of truth; at worst treated like we were fools.

My opinion, a medical issue has come up before the crash occured, which is potentially ongoing.

I hope above all else though Fernando is ok, and makes a full and rapid recovery from whatever has happened!

If an F1 driver farts and follows through we have multiple page blogs from the good doctor explaining in depth medical details about what might be happening in a situation he has no knowledge of. Whilst slagging off any speculation that isn't his speculation.

[Vaud]

LaurasOtherHalf said:

If an F1 driver farts and follows through we have multiple page blogs from the good doctor explaining in depth medical details about what might be happening in a situation he has no knowledge of. Whilst slagging off any speculation that isn't his speculation.

I agree in part - but he is well placed to advise what would be, for example, administered track side to a driver who was confused/struggling/etc - and the time for that drug to clear the system - so some of his comments are valid and based on experience.

[Alicatt1]

A friend that knew Alonso when he was at Ferrari, said he is complaining of severe headaches and back pain.