Q & A with Ron Dennis

Ron Dennis: As far as we can tell, because we've now got the parts - a wheel failed. A very unusual occurrence. It had only had 14km on it, so it was a brand new wheel so we have to analyse the components to find out. But at the moment, it's 99.9 per cent certain the wheel failed.

It's a new wheel and under circumstances like this it will normally be something to do with our partners who make the wheel - but it would be completely inappropriate for me to make any comment until we've analysed the pieces. Obviously, when we know we'll share it with you.

Q. And how is he?

RD: His scans are completely clear. There are no physical damage to him at all and no trauma damage to his brain, he's completely clear.

Q. Is he concussed?

RD: A little concussed. But not as a result of anything other than the trauma of the accident - there's no damage or bruising or bleeding. So we're quite optimistic about the next race.

I'm not a doctor so I must qualify what I say - I spoke to our doctor at the hospital and we're quite optimistic that at this very early stage he'll be able to race because there is no damage, bruising or bleeding.

Q. What's the next stage for Heikki?

RD: They'll keep him for observation because that's what normally happens in these circumstances but we won't know until we speak to the doctors in half an hour.

Q. We saw something feel off the car, what was it?

RD: It could have been when... We don't know, the car's very badly damage, but what we could see was the speed of deflation and the pressure sensors, the valves, the weighting system, everything is intact but it's a fractured, a jagged fracture as opposed to a radial cut to it.

At this stage, it appears to be a sudden wheel failing - it could have been a piece of the rim flying off or clipping off some of the carbon fibre - that's as accurate as we can be at this stage.

Q. Were you in radio communication with him?

RD: No, he was unconscious initially.

Q. Did you think about calling Lewis into the pits?

RD: We had identified while Lewis was behind the SC that it was a rapid loss of air pressure. You could see from the imaging that there was no wobble on the wheel so it wasn't a loose wheel and the wheel was still tight afterwards. We felt that it was completely safe to continue.

Q. How quickly did you get info that Heikki was fine?

RD: We had some indication from the FIA during the event. About 10-15 minutes after they had him out of the car. And then more information from the medical centre here and then finally from the hospital, so Martin (Whitmarsh) and Heikki's girlfriend and Aki (McLaren's doctor) looked after the situation - that's what Aki's job is so we let him get on with it.