Richards Hopeful Button Will Qualify

BAR-Honda's David Richards is hopeful driver Jenson Button will be fit to take part in qualifying for the Monaco Grand Prix despite being taken to hospital after his heavy crash in practice.

Richards visited Button, who was taken to Monaco's Princess Grace hospital following the high-speed incident at the chicane, but said the 23-year-old was not injured.

"He's alright," said team boss Richards. "He is perfectly alright. I'm going to see him in hospital now. He's having a check over but hopefully he will be okay for this afternoon. We'll have to see."

Button lost control of his car as he exited the high-speed tunnel area of the circuit 20 minutes into the second morning practice session. His car spun 90 degrees before hitting the barriers opposite the entrance to the chicane with the left-hand side of the car and the session was stopped immediately.

The BAR-Honda machine was badly damaged and Button was forced to remain in the car as marshals flocked around and attempted to cut him out of the car as an ambulance waited in attendance. Marshals spent 10 minutes tending to Button in his car before he was cut out of the car and stretched into a waiting ambulance.

He was immediately seen by the FIA medical delegate Professor Sid Watkins, who pronounced him fully conscious and in good condition. He is understood not to have broken any bones. He was then taken to the circuit medical centre before being taken to the Princess Grace hospital in Monaco.

BAR-Honda technical director Geoff Willis said there were no initial signs that a car failure had caused the accident and that the team had done checks before Button's teammate Jacques Villeneuve went out on track.

Willis said: "Jenson was certainly close to the barriers but whether the car stepped out of line we don't know. It didn't look anything to be concerned about and we discussed it with Jacques before he went out."

Suspension failure or a puncture had been put forward as possible causes for the accident but that is not yet confirmed.

Karl Wendlinger crashed in the same place in 1994, in practice for the race which followed the deaths of Roland Ratzenberger and Ayrton Senna at Imola, and he spent 19 days in a coma.

Button's accident, however, was not so serious and although he hit the Armco heavily, the side impact structures on his car will have been crucial in protecting him.