Watch: Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu escapes serious injury after multi-car crash at British Grand Prix-Sports News , Firstpost

Alfa Romeo driver Guanyu Zhou of China crashes at the start of the British Formula One Grand Prix at the Silverstone circuit, in Silverstone, England, Sunday, July 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

The British Grand Prix was red-flagged on Sunday as an opening-corner multi-car crash took place at Silverstone. Zhou Guanyu’s Alfa Romeo flipped upside down and went over the circuit’s safety barrier.

The Chinese rookie’s head was saved by his vehicle’s roll hoop-halo as it skidded across a gravel trap and over tyre barriers into the catch fencing. The car bounced back to finish semi-upright in a stationary position.

George Russell’s Mercedes, Yuki Tsunoda (Alpha Tauri), Alpine’s Esteban Ocon and Alex Albon (Williams) were also involved in the crash. Russell, Albon and Zhou were shifted to the circuit medical centre. Albon was later taken by helicopter to Coventry Hospital for further precautions. The Thai driver was later discharged.

As for the Zhou, in a radio statement, Alfa Romeo said that he was doing well. “Zhou is conscious, he is talking, there are no fractures. Considering the circumstances, he is pretty good, pretty well,” the statement read.

Watch the video of the crash here:

In re-run videos of the race, it appeared that Russell, who was starting eighth, moved to his right after a poor beginning and bumped into with Zhou’s Alfa Romeo as the two tried to stay ahead of Pierre Gasly.

This led to Zhou’s car veering off-circuit and dragging other vehicles into further less serious multiple collisions around.

After a delay of about an hour, the race was restarted in the original starting order, with the grid reduced to 17 after the retirements of Zhou, Albon and Russell. In the race, Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz managed to secure his maiden victory in Formula 1.

He overtook Red Bull Racing’s Sergio Perez, Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and teammate Charles Leclerc to finish at the top. Max Verstappen, who was in the lead in the original race, finished seventh. The Dutchman suffered a pit-stop-inducing puncture as well as structural damage to his vehicle.