Maria de Villota: Formula 1 Racecar Driver Released from Hospital Following Crash

Maria de Villota has been released from the hospital, her team announced yesterday. The 32-year-old Spanish racecar driver, who drives for the Russian-owned Marussia F1 team, spent 17 days in the hospital after a July 3 crash.

The crash occurred at Duxford Airfield in Cambridgeshire, England when de Villota was testing the team's MR-01 car for the first time. She was taken to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridgeshire where she underwent multiple surgeries on her head and face. Among the most serious of her injuries was the loss of her right eye.

Marussia F1 said in a statement that de Villota left immediately for Spain after her release from the hospital.

"Over the course of the past two weeks, Maria has made significant progress. More comfortable and familiar surroundings, plus the support of her wider family and friends, will undoubtedly provide a more conducive environment in which Maria can commence the next phase of her recovery," the team said in a statement.

De Villota is the daughter and sister of well-known racecar drivers Emilio de Villota and Emilio de Villota Jr. She only attained Formula 1 class last year, having previously driven at the Formula 3 and Superleague Formula classes.

De Villota's team said at the time of the accident that the crash involved a support truck. Britain's Mirror has since reported that de Villota was slowly returning to mechanics after a high-speed run when she suddenly accelerated into a car transporter.

A mechanical flaw was not believed to be responsible, the paper said.

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