ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½

Skip to main content

Zhou involved in frightening 1st-lap crash at British GP

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) 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)
Share
SILVERSTONE, England -

Zhou Guanyu was involved in a frightening first-lap crash Sunday that brought the British Grand Prix to an immediate halt as safety crews attended to the only Chinese driver in Formula One.

Zhou's car slid upside-down across the gravel and his Alfa Romeo seemed to be wedged between fencing and a tire barrier at the first corner. The race was red-flagged and George Russell, one of the drivers involved in the crash, sprinted from his car to the tire barrier to check on Zhou.

Zhou was taken to the track's medical centre for observation and credited the head-protecting "halo" device on the cars for protecting him.

"I'm ok, all clear. Halo saved me today. Thanks everyone for your kind messages!" .

Alex Albon of Williams was also taken to the medical centre and then his team said he'd been transferred by helicopter to Coventry Hospital for a precautionary check. Albon had spun into the pit wall after being struck by Sebastian Vettel from behind as drivers tried to avoid the incident involving Zhou.

Russell appeared to be hit from behind at the start and was knocked into Zhou, whose car went flying across a gravel trap and over a tire wall into the retaining fence. The car was skidding on the "halo," then went airborne. It was stuck between the tire wall and the fence, delaying efforts to extricate Zhou.

Russell, who ran from his car to help Zhou, called it "one of the scariest crashes I've ever seen."

Russell was declared out of the race by the FIA because his Mercedes was loaded onto a truck to be taken back to pit lane while he was checking on Zhou. Mercedes protested the call, but the FIA did not budge.

The drivers returned to the pits to await a restart.

After the race was stopped, "several people attempted to enter the track," F1 said in a statement. "These people were immediately removed and the matter is now being dealt with by the local authorities."

Local police had warned Friday spectators might enter the track as part of a protest. An environmental group called Just Stop Oil said that five of its activists had entered the track and sat down.

The group also tried to disrupt some Premier League soccer games in England in recent months. Just Stop Oil named one of those on the track at Silverstone on Sunday as a protestor who also attached himself to a goal post at a game in March between Everton and Newcastle.

The "halo" device around the cockpit played a prominent role earlier Sunday in a Formula Two race at Silverstone when Dennis Hauger's car landed on top of rival Roy Nissany's car. The incident was reminiscent of a crash in F1 involving Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton at the Italian Grand Prix last year.

CTVNews.ca ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½

Police have arrested an 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole a Porsche and then ran over its owner in an incident that was captured on video.

Since she was a young girl growing up in Vancouver, Ginny Lam says her mom Yat Hei Law made it very clear she favoured her son William, because he was her male heir.

Advocates have identified the woman who died this week after being shot by police in Surrey, B.C., as a South American refugee who was raising a young daughter.

Three men were injured after trying to subdue a man armed with a knife during afternoon prayers at a Montreal-area mosque Friday afternoon.

A 15-year-old boy who was the subject of an emergency alert in New Brunswick has been arrested.

The search for a missing six-year-old boy in Shamattawa is continuing Friday as RCMP hope recent tips can help lead to a happy conclusion.

Provincial police investigating the death of a cat that was allegedly set on fire in Orillia earlier this week released surveillance video of a person of interest in the case.

Local Spotlight

Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

They say a dog is a man¡¯s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.

A Good Samaritan in New Brunswick has replaced a man's stolen bottle cart so he can continue to collect cans and bottles in his Moncton neighbourhood.

Stay Connected