JULY 16, 2012

Marussia rules out car problems in De Villota accident

Two weeks on from Maria De Villota's testing accident at Duxfor Airfield in the UK, Marussia has completed a detailed investigation into the cause of the crash and, without detailing specifics, has ruled out car-related issues being a contributory factor.

Two weeks on from Maria De Villota's testing accident at Duxfor Airfield in the UK, Marussia has completed a detailed investigation into the cause of the crash and, without detailing specifics, has ruled out car-related issues being a contributory factor.

As well as its own analysis of the accident, an external forensic investigation was commissioned and carried out at Duxford and at the Marussia Technical Centre in Banbury. The team's findings have also been shared with the UK's independent regulator with ragard to work-related accidents, the Health and Safety executive (HSE).

Team principal John Booth said: "We are satisfied that the findings of our internal investigation exclude the car as a factor in the accident. We have shared and discussed our findings with the HSE for their consideration as part of their ongoing investigation. This has been a necessarily thorough process in order to understand the cause of the accident. We have now concluded our investigatory work and can again focus on the priority, which continues to be Maria's wellbeing. In that regard we continue to support Maria and the De Villota family in any way we can."

De Villota, who lost her right eye in the accident, remains in hospital in the UK but is no longer under sedation.