Grapevine: Newey has another big crash

Newey, driving his Jaguar E-type lightweight, was lapping in traffic during practice when he was involved in an accident at the kink on the Lavant Straight.

After spinning across the grass, Newey's car hit the barriers with the right rear corner and careered down the wall - causing major damage to the right hand side of the car.

Newey was able to climb out of the car unaided but was taken to St. Richards' Hospital in Chichester for precautionary checks.

And because it was the second sizeable accident Newey had suffered in less than two months, following a big crash in his GT40 at the Le Mans Classic in July, he had to be kept in overnight for observation.

"I have no recollection of the event but I am told that we ended up with three cars abreast while lapping a backmarker," explained Newey. "I was on the outside and ended up being pushed out onto the grass. The damage to the car is quite light but I must have hit my head on the rollbar, which knocked me unconscious.

"I came round in the ambulance feeling a bit dazed and now I feel as though I have severe jet lag."

Indy Racing League front-runner Dario Franchitti was also taken to hospital after suffering a big crash in a similar Jaguar E-type lightweight.

The Scotsman crashed just after Fordwater Bend and, after hitting the barriers, bounced back into the middle of the circuit. After being extracted from his badly damaged car, Franchitti was taken to hospital and detained overnight for observation for concussion.

Newey added: "Apparently Dario and I shared several 'goldfish' moments during recuperation in the hospital, both turning to each other every 20 minutes or so asking the same question 'what are you doing here?"