Ericsson: "Incredible" to escape Silverstone shunt without injury
Sauber’s Marcus Ericsson admitted it was extraordinary that he escaped any major injury after his spectacular crash during FP3 at the British Grand Prix.
Marcus Ericsson, Sauber C35 crashed in the third practice session
XPB Images
The Swede spun at the exit of Stowe and skidded across the grass, resulting in a hard impact with the tyre barrier.
He missed qualifying, having gone to hospital for check-ups, but was cleared to race on Sunday.
"It's quite incredible, I was going at 230 kilometres per hour when I lost control and I don't think it went down much before I hit the barrier - and to walk out without an injury is pretty impressive," he said.
"It says a lot about safety of Formula 1 these days that you can do a crash like that and, okay, you feel sore and some pain, but you're still fine."
Ericsson added that he lost control after he brushed the wet AstroTurf at the Stowe corner.
"I remember everything, it was obviously getting drier out there.
"I just went a bit wide at Stowe and brushed my left rear on the astro, which was a bit damp, and that corner we have a lot of load.
"I didn't think I was going to attack it much, so I kept my foot down, I touched a bit, it was enough to lose the grip and then it goes towards the inside barrier, quite a huge impact, it was a big one."
Layout tweaks
When asked if he thinks the organisers should tweak the Stowe corner, Ericsson insisted the crash was his fault - but suggested that the turn needed looking at.
"I think it's the astro that they put there in the exit [at Stowe]. When it's a bit changeable conditions, it is quite easy to put a wheel there in the astro.
"And it sends you straight in the wall at such a high speed. I think the barrier is fine but maybe they should think about what to put there [where the astro is].
"The kerb is so flat as well, maybe a bigger kerb that means you don't go down the road so wide in the exit.
"But then, you know, I knew it was there, it wasn't the track's fault that I crashed.
"It was my own fault so I don't want to blame the track. But we've seen crashes there before and it is always a big crash when someone goes off so maybe they can improve it. But it was my mistake."
Steering wheel
When the C35 hit the barrier, Ericsson's steering wheel had come off, something the Swede has struggled to find an explanation for after the fact.
"I am not sure why it [steering wheel] came off, it looks like a bit on the video that my knees are hitting it off.
"But I don't have any bruises on my knees, so I am not a hundred percent sure what happened there."
Additional reporting by Jamie Klein
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