Haberfeld : 'leg not broken'

The Brazilian has a deep cut in his left thigh from the 125mph impact but should be released from hospital in a couple of days.

Doctors have also had to drain fluid off bruising on his left shin which is likely to need further treatment.

He will definitely miss the next round of the series but could return for Monaco in a month.

The initial diagnosis from the rescue crews at the circuit suggested two breaks in his left leg, but this proved to be incorrect when he was examined in hospital.

The 1998 British Formula Three champion spun at the fast final corner of the Catalunya circuit and slid backwards back onto the track. Nicolas Minassian and Andrea Piccini, unsighted in the cloud of dust kicked up by Haberfeld, both ploughed into the Brazilian's Lola.

The Brazilian was trapped in his car for 25 minutes before being released and airlifted to hospital.

Minassian and Piccini both said that the cloud of dust made it impossible for them to see what was happening ahead.

'I couldn't see anything, I just lifted,' said Minassian. 'There was no yellow flag, which is not very good. I only lifted because of the dust.'

Piccini criticised the Spanish marshals, who he said ignored his calls to help the injured Haberfeld.

'They were sleeping,' he said. 'I didn't really back off, I just came off the throttle slightly and touched the brake because I couldn't see where I was going.

'I ran into Mario and rushed over to the car. It didn't look good.'

This is the second time in just over a year that Haberfeld has sustained such an injury. The Brazilian had previously broken a leg in a testing accident prior to his first F3000 season in 1999.

On that occasion he had time to recover before the first race of the year.

For the full list of qualifying times, see the separate story in the F3000 section.