SEPTEMBER 4, 2000

Fisichella has another big one

GIANCARLO FISICHELLA is not having a good time at the moment. He had a big accident in the race day warm-up at Spa when he rolled his car at Stavelot Corner and last week had another large accident while testing at Monza. On this occasion the Roman driver went off at the Ascari chicane after what he reported to be a brake failure at around 185mph.

This caused the car to go out of control but fortunately it turned before hitting the barriers backwards. It then spun to a halt. The Italian was shaken but was able to walk away after the crash although he suffered serious bruising to his knees, ankles and elbows from hitting the inside of the cockpit. Fisichella had previously damaged his elbows in the Spa accident.

The car was too badly damaged for testing to continue with it. Fisichella flew home to Rome where he was examined by doctors on Friday and it was concluded that the ankle injuries were the worst of his injuries but it is hoped that the problem will have gone away before practice begins for the Italian Grand Prix.

It is Fisichella's third big accident of the year. He walked out of another big crash at the Valencia track in May when he ran into the back of Trulli and flipped his car.