Spain's prime minister sends best wishes to fernando alonso after cycling crash | news24

• SPANISH RACING DRIVER FERNANDO ALONSO WAS HIT BY A CAR WHILE CYCLING CLOSE TO HIS HOME IN LUGANO, SWITZERLAND.  • THE 39-YEAR-OLD SUFFERED A FRACTURED JAW AND UNDERWENT SUCCESSFUL SURGERY,

AN ALPINE TEAM STATEMENT SAID.  • MESSAGES OF SUPPORT FOR ALONSO'S WERE SENT BY SPAIN'S PRIME MINISTER PEDRO SÁNCHEZ AND RACING DRIVERS JENSON BUTTON AND YAZEED AL-RAJHI. 

------------------------- Fernando Alonso, a two-time Formula 1 champion, suffered a fractured upper jaw after a cycling accident in Switzerland, an Alpine F1 team statement said Friday. 

The 39-year-old was reportedly hit by a car near his home in Lugano on Thursday, Italy's GAZZETTA DELLO SPORT NEWSPAPER REPORTED.  He received treatment at a hospital in Bern, where he

underwent "a successful corrective operation". Alpine expect Alonso to be ready for the start of the season  The Spanish driver rejoined Alpine, formerly known as Renault, for the

upcoming season marking a return to the sport after leaving in 2019. The team says they expect him to be fit enough to prepare for the start of the F1 season.  The F1 championship begins in

Bahrain on March 28, with pre-season testing in the Gulf kingdom from March 12-14. Alonso received messages from several people including the Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. He wrote

on Twitter: "Much strength and all the best wishes to Fernando Alonso." "We expect the injuries from this accident to be minimal. A big hug,@alo_oficial!" he mentioned. 

Former F1 champion, Jenson Button and Alonso's old teammate at McLaren said: "Hey well soon @alo_oficial." The Toyota Gazoo Racing World Endurance Racing team said: "We

wish you a speedy recovery, Fernando."  Saudi Arabian rally driver and Dakar competitor Yazeed Al Rajhi said: "I regret hearing the news that my friend Fernando Alonso has had an

accident." The Saudi businessman, who has been competing in the World Rally Championship and other international rally events since 2007, added: "I wish him a speedy recovery

@alo_oficial." ELUSIVE 'TRIPLE CROWN' Upon leaving F1 in 2019, Alonso has attempted to win the unofficial 'triple crown' achievement. It consists of winning the 24

Hours of Le Mans, Indianapolis 500 and F1 World Championship.  The Spaniard thrice entered the Indianapolis 500 in 2017, 2019 and 2020 and is yet to claim victory. He won the 2004 and 2005

F1 titles with Renault, breaking Michael Schumacher's dominant period of five consecutive wins for Ferrari.  In 2019, Alonso alongside Toyota teammates Sebastien Buemi and Kazuki

Nakajima won the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the second consecutive year. In 2020 Alonso made his debut in the Dakar Rally held in Saudi Arabia for the Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa team. He

partnered with former bike category winner Marc Coma and the Spanish duo finished 13th overall.  The pair raced in South Africa in September 2019 in preparation for the Dakar.  2021 F1

SEASON  Alonso will team up with Esteban Ocon for Alpine this season and is the second oldest driver on the grid, behind Alfa Romeo's Kimi Raikkonen, 41. The 2021 season-opening race

has moved from the traditional Albert Park in Melbourne due to the coronavirus pandemic. Instead, the teams head to Bahrain in March for pre-season testing before the action gets underway in

Bahrain on March 28.  Alonso won 32 Grand Prix races, 22 pole positions, and 1899 points from 311 starts in his 19-year career.  KEEP UPDATED ON THE LATEST WHEELS NEWS BY SUBSCRIBING TO OUR

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