Alonso recovering in hospital after crash

Fernando Alonso was taken to hospital on Sunday ‘as a precaution' following an accident at the second Formula One test in Barcelona.

McLaren driver Alonso, taking on driving duties for the morning of the fourth and final day of the current test, left the track at Turn Three at the Circuit de Catalunya, with the right hand side of his McLaren-Honda MP4-30 colliding with the wall.

The Spaniard was driven to the circuit's medical centre where he was given first aid, during which time he was reported to be conscious and speaking with the doctors.

However, as a precaution, the 34-year-old double world champion was then airlifted to hospital, where he was given CT and MRI scans. McLaren confirmed Alonso was uninjured, but remained in hospital overnight.

It caps off a stuttered start to McLaren's 2015 Formula One season, who - with new engine supplier Honda on board and indeed former Ferrari man Alonso - have struggled to get some consistency in the new car.

"We now turn our attention to next week's final pre-season test in Barcelona," McLaren said following the incident.

Elsewhere, it was Lotus and Red Bull who recorded the fastest lap times over the four day test in Barcelona. Pastor Maldonado went quickest on the first day with a 1m 25.011s time (set on soft tyres), while Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo went quickest the next day on soft tyres, with a time of 1m 24.574s (and 143 laps).

Maldonado again went quickest on Saturday with a time of 1m 24.348s on Pirelli's supersoft tyre, while Romain Grosjean capped off Sunday's final day with a fastest time of 1m 24.067s, again on the supersofts.