'Major damage': F1 stunned by scary Daniel Ricciardo crash

Daniel Ricciardo has escaped serious injury despite a scary high-speed crash in practice for the Styrian Grand Prix on Friday.

The Renault driver lost the rear end of his Renault as he went through Turn 9 at the Red Bull Ring, and spun around to hit the barriers backwards.

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The Australian was able to get out of the car by himself and after being taken to the medical centre, he was given the all clear by doctors.

However, he did suffer a bruised knee.

“I hit my knee on the steering column when I came in, so just a bit bruised,” he explained.

“But they checked it, [and it is] literally just some bruising. All is good. I am fine but the car was pretty beat up.”

Fernando Alonso had every reason to raise an eyebrow when Ricciardo said he could not explain the cause of his high-speed crash.

Just three days after it was confirmed that the two-time champion had agreed to return and succeed the Australian, when he joins McLaren next season, his future car hit the barriers.

“That first push lap was going quite well, up until Turn 9,” said Ricciardo. “It was a mistake. It all happened very quickly, so I'm not sure what went wrong.

“I turned in and just lost the car straightaway.

“I know these things happen with cars and in Formula One, so it's not out of the ordinary. I'm ok, but I feel bad for the guys.”

F1 world stunned by rare Ricciardo crash

Ricciardo lost control when his car spun backwards and slammed into the barriers, wrecking much of the rear of the vehicle.

He was able to haul himself out of the cockpit and to limp away through a gravel trap, but he was clearly shaken.

“That’s a full side, a full gear box, floors, wings,” Sky Sports analyst Paul di Resta said.

”We haven’t seen an F1 car that bad for a little while have we.”

Co-commentator David Croft agreed, saying there was “major damage” to Ricciardo’s car.

The Formula One world was left stunned by the seriousness of the crash, with many saying they’d never seen anything like it from Ricciardo.

“When was the last time you saw Ricciardo go off like this? I honestly can’t think of one,” Mark Gottlieb of Fox Sports commented.

Meanwhile, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen topped the time sheets and six-times Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton had a difficult afternoon at Mercedes.

Hamilton's Finnish team mate Valtteri Bottas, the championship leader after winning Sunday's Austrian season-opener at the same Red Bull Ring circuit, was second and a mere 0.043 slower.

Mexican Sergio Perez, who put Racing Point's 'Pink Mercedes' on top in the morning session at Spielberg, ended the day with the third best time.

with agencies