George Russell abandons car to check on Zhou Guanyu after horror crash

Russell sacrificed his race to check on Zhou

Zhou Guanyu miraculously escaped serious injury after he was involved in a horrific crash in the opening seconds of Sunday's British Grand Prix at Silverstone. The Alfa Romeo driver's car collided with George Russell's Mercedes as they approached the first corner. Zhou then made contact with another car, flipping his car upside down. The car remained upended as it skidded for a considerable distance, only coming to a halt when colliding with a safety barrier in front of one of the stands. The race was instantly red flagged, with a recovery team quickly on the scene to help the Zhou driver. https://twitter.com/SkySportsF1/status/1543604286227193858

George Russell instantly ran to Zhou's help

Zhou's fellow drivers were understandably concerned in the immediate aftermath of the crash, as was shown by the response of Russell. With his car also taking on damage as a result of the car, Russell clambered out of his car and sprinted over to check on the Chinese driver's condition - an action which meant he would take no further part in the race. https://twitter.com/beatriz_reads/status/1543603051428286464

Zhou conscious and talking

It was later confirmed by the Alfa team that Zhou was conscious and undergoing checks at Silverstone's medical centre. 'Following a crash at the start of the British Grand Prix, Zhou Guanyu is conscious and now at the circuit’s medical centre to undergo evaluation,' a short statement read. Further reports said he was talking to those assessing him and had sustained no fractures in the crash. With the debris cleared from the track, the race was eventually restarted at 4pm. Related links:

• Zhou Guanyu involved in horrific crash as British GP red flagged
• Halo device ‘unequivocally saves life’ of Formula 2 driver in Silverstone horror crash