JUST IN: Fernando Alonso crashes MCL 33 in Barcelona Winter testing

The Formula 1 season is well and truly back as winter testing began this morning in Barcelona.

Engines roared, cars sped across the track and fans rejoiced in numbers to see their favourite drivers take to the track for the first time this season.

However, Fernando Alonso did not quite have the best of starts to the new campaign, as he crashed the MCL 33 during the opening morning in Barcelona, with the right rear wheel coming off in the final corner.

Alonso had completed 5 laps and was in his 6th lap when the incident occurred, with the MCL 33 landing in the gravel trap. He then jumped out of the car to inspect the rear end of it.

“It appears that his right rear wheel came off which caused the crash,” a Sky Sports reporter reported.

“McLaren say they are investigating the cause at the moment. It could be that it was a loose wheel nut or it could be some kind of failure in the wheel structure itself.

“This is a very fast corner, you are coming around here at around 160mph. Not the start McLaren would have wanted and Fernando Alonso is back in the garage.

“He came out of the car and closely examined what had gone on, he was staring at the wheel trying to determine while it had come off.” he added.

McLaren were supposed to do 100 laps/day in testing but that seems unlikely now. They made the switch from Honda to Renault this year, as the testing last season resulted in just 425 laps across two tests(and just 29 laps in the first race), but the switch doesn’t look too promising as of now!