Lucky escape for Perez after Monaco smash

Sergio Perez was fortunate to escape with just concussion and a sprained thigh following a sickening accident in qualifying for the Monaco Grand Prix.

Fears surrounded Mexican rookie Perez after he lost control of his Sauber coming out of the tunnel at 180mph, the fastest part of the principality circuit.

Perez initially veered right into a metal barrier, before hurtling across the harbour chicane where he slammed sideways into an impact-absorbing techpro barrier.

Marshals and an ambulance swiftly arrived on the scene, albeit with the situation soon becoming serious as the stricken 21-year-old was first screened by a cordon of track staff, who then used a tarpaulin to stop cameras from prying.

Fifteen minutes after the initial impact, Perez was then taken to the local Princess Grace Hospital where he underwent a range of scans and tests.

The FIA later confirmed Perez was “stable, conscious and talking”, sustaining a concussion that will keep him in hospital overnight, but miraculously no fractures.

In their own statement, Sauber added Perez had also suffered a sprained thigh, adding that “following a scan they could find no further injuries”.

The concussion almost certainly means Perez will now not compete in tomorrow’s race for which he qualified 10th – naturally not setting a time in the final 10-minute session – his highest grid slot of his maiden campaign.

Remarkably, Perez’s accident was a carbon copy of what happened to Nico Rosberg in his Mercedes in the final practice session less than four hours earlier.

On that occasion, however, Rosberg missed the barrier that Perez rammed side on by a matter of inches, and was fortunate to escape injury.

With no time to make the significant changes needed to the area to guarantee safety, the 23 other drivers go into the race aware of the risks.

In 1994, Karl Wendlinger was knocked unconscious and in a coma for weeks after an accident similar to those witnessed today.

Jenson Button, who finished second in qualifying behind Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel who claimed his fifth pole of the year, also knows all about that part of the track.

Button hit the barrier himself and sustained concussion in Saturday practice in 2003, missing qualifying and the race.

“The cars have improved dramatically in terms of safety since Karl Wendlinger’s accident, and the circuit has improved,” said Button.

“The barrier’s been moved back since my accident, so there have been improvements, but we need to find a solution because we all love racing here.

“It’s a very special circuit for us and there’s so much history, but there are a couple of areas, and that is the main one really.”

Button explained: “It’s when you first hit the brakes, the rear goes very light.

“At that point you become a passenger if you get oversteer. You have no control of the car and it’s pitching them into the right side barrier.

“Then the problem is you lose braking capability because you’ve got two wheels off the car and it’s just a sled, just sitting on the floor.

“But it’s Monaco, a street circuit, although I still think we need to look further as to what we can do with the run-off there.

“It’s just a shame we have these incidents before things are done.”

Asked as to the prospect of putting his life on the line tomorrow, the 31-year-old said: “Motor sport is dangerous.

“We’re all going to go racing tomorrow, and I’m pretty sure with higher fuel loads and everything you won’t see any issues – I hope.”

Reigning world champion Vettel added: “People say things are too safe these days, too easy, but things like this are a bit of a wake-up call.

“So we have to make sure we learn from this for the future.

“It’s the drivers’ job to make sure we defend ourselves and say we need this here or that there. That should be the target.”

Last season’s winner Mark Webber qualified third in his Red Bull, followed by Fernando Alonso for Ferrari and a five-times winner in Mercedes’ Michael Schumacher.

Lewis Hamilton initially qualified seventh, with Perez’s accident playing havoc with his strategy, although his lap time has since been scrubbed.

At present Hamilton will start ninth, although the stewards are investigating an incident where the 26-year-old was blocked by Felipe Massa in his Ferrari, and he could be elevated a place.