FORMULA ONE TEST driver Maria de Villota has returned to Spain 18 days after sustaining serious facial injuries in a crash during testing.
De Villota’s team, Marussia, confirmed that the 32-year-old has left hospital and returned to her home in Spain to continue her recovery.
“Over the course of the past two weeks, Maria has made significant progress,” Marussia said in a statement on Saturday. ”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.”
Having suffered horrific injuries to her face, De Villota was operated on twice in Britain but the surgeons could not save her right eye. The Spaniard was driving one of Marussia’s cars on 3 July when it accelerated sharply into a team truck at Duxford Airfield. Investigations by Marussia and independent British authorities have both found the car was not at fault.