Former Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton crashed at more than 250 kilometers per hour during Saturday`s first qualifying session for the German Grand Prix.
The Briton climbed out of his car shaken and winded but with no apparent serious injury. The impact came after the Mercedes driver`s brakes failed on entry to the hairpin leading into the stadium section of the Hockenheimring circuit.
Hamilton was able to tell the team he was okay by radio and was driven to the race medical centre for an examination.
"I hit something," Hamilton told the team. "I hit... hit the brakes - the brakes failed."
The session was red flagged to a halt for repairs to the barriers, notably a wall of tyres into which Hamilton`s car plunged on impact as he lost control. The front of his car suffered most damage.
Hamilton will take no further part in the qualifying session and will start Sunday`s race from the back of the grid.
For Hamilton, it was a major setback after he had managed to reduce Mercedes team-mate and championship leader Nico Rosberg`s lead to just four points with a victory in the British Grand Prix where the German retired.
Rosberg finished fastest in the first part of qualifying ahead of Australia`s Daniel Ricciardo.
It is the first time Hamilton has failed to proceed to the third part of qualifying, the top ten shootout, since the 2010 Malaysian Grand Prix.
AFP
First Published: Saturday, July 19, 2014, 18:50
