Toro Rosso's Carlos Sainz 'conscious and talking' after high-speed crash in Russian Grand Prix practice

Cut short: The decision was taken not to restart the session
(Lars Baron/Getty Images)
Philip Duncan10 October 2015

Final practice for the Russian Grand Prix was abandoned after Spanish driver Carlos Sainz was involved in a high-speed impact with the barriers.

Sainz's Toro Rosso was pictured submerged in the tyre barrier at the turn 13 section of the track which runs through Sochi's Olympic Park.

The red flags were deployed and with 14 minutes remaining the decision was taken not to restart the session.

Sainz, 21, was attended to by medical staff at the scene of the crash.

Toro Rosso team principal Franz Tost told Sky Sports F1 the driver was "conscious" and that a decision would be taken later on whether he could play any further part in the race weekend.

Sainz, who is competing in his debut Formula One season, gave the thumbs-up as he was put into the back of an ambulance on a stretcher.

The Spanish driver was taken to the on-track medical centre and the sport's governing body, the FIA, confirmed he was conscious.

Sainz's team boss Tost said: "Carlos is conscious, he's with the doctors now. They will see if he can continue the race weekend."

Replays of the incident appeared to show Sainz lose control of his Toro Rosso under braking.

He collided with the wall and his front-left wheel broke off before he went head-on into the barrier at turn 13.

FIA press officer Matteo Bonciani provided a further update on Sainz's condition.

"Carlos is conscious, he's OK. He has talked to the doctor, so apparently we think it's fine," he told reporters at the trackside.

"We need to see when he will be a little bit better, he is here inside the medical centre. We will see what's going on, we will need to see how he is when the adrenaline has gone down.

"He is conscious, he is talking, and he even tried to remove his helmet on his own."

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