Such sad news. Such a lovely lady. P and thank you for the support you gave me. De Villota lost her right eye as a result and required multiple operations to repair the damage to her face and skull. In a statement released on Friday, Marussia said: 'It is with great sadness that we learned a short time ago of the news that Maria de Villota has passed away.
Pray for her, for her family and for the whole motorsport family. She was loved by everybody. She was an inspiration not just to women in this sport, but also to all those who suffered life-threatening injuries. Her story, determination and subsequent inspiration flowed from F1 through sport as a whole, and to see the images of her in Barcelona on the grid earlier this year, surrounded by a throng of jubilant children, told a great story. She will be sadly missed, and we wish to pass on our sincere condolences to her family.
Sauber team principal Monisha Kaltenborn, who worked alongside De Villota as an ambassador for the Women in Motorsport commission, paid her own tribute.
British racer Susie Wolff, a development driver for Williams, said: ' I feel I owe it to her to say something because, out of the paddock and out of the motorsport bubble, she was an incredible character, she was a fighter. July - Loses her right eye in a freak accident at Duxford Aerodrome while straight-line testing with Marussia. Spends a month in hospital. She was just an incredible character. De Villota was the guest honour at this year's Spanish Grand Prix.
She had recently been publicising a book chronicling her life entitled 'Life is a Gift' which is due to be released on Monday. Aside from other speaking engagements She had also recently taken up a role as FIA Women in Motorsport Ambassador for the governing body. She married year-old personal trainer Rodrigo Garcia Millan in July of this year. Her father was former Formula One driver Emilio de Villota. She had also taken part in the prestigious Daytona 24 hour race in the USA.
Any possible links between her death and injuries she suffered in her crash last year will be examined. An HSE spokeswoman said an investigation launched immediately after the accident was continuing and any post-mortem findings and other developments following her death would be considered.
She added: 'We don't know if there is a link between her injuries and her subsequent death but we would expect to be kept informed of any new evidence. Despite spending a month in hospital following the Duxford Aerodrome incident, De Villota rebuilt her life in what was seen by many as a miracle recovery.
The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. Argos AO. Privacy Policy Feedback. Martin Whitmarsh, team principal of McLaren Mercedes, said: "She was an inspiration not just to women in this sport, but also to all those who suffered life-threatening injuries.
Her story, determination and subsequent inspiration flowed from F1 through sport as a whole. She had to go to heaven like all angels. We are thankful to God for the extra year and a half that he left her with us. On Friday morning she was due to give a speech to a group of students about how to overcome life's setbacks, as part of a conference called What Really Matters. Ahead of the talk she had said: "Life is beautiful, the only thing we have to do is take it a little slower, and enjoy it.
She was then to go on tour to publicise her autobiography, Life is a Gift, which will be published on Monday, a book which tells the story of how her life changed after the accident. The night before she died, De Villota is said to have complained to her manager about a terrible headache — questions remain as to whether her death might be connected to the injuries suffered in the accident 18 months ago.
In July , De Villota was carrying out her first test drive for the Marussia team at Duxford Aerodrome, Cambridgeshire, when she crashed into a stationary truck after she had left the track. Lucky to survive, she was in hospital for a month, lost the sight in her right eye, her sense of taste and smell, and suffered terrible headaches.
The crash left her in hospital for a month and surgeons were unable to save her right eye. But De Villota was cleared to drive again, if not to race. And at the time of her death she was working as a supervisor at an advanced driving school owned by her father, Emilio de Villota — who competed in Formula One between and Her body was discovered around 7. De Villota, who was born in Madrid in and had a degree in sports science, had driven in the World Touring Car Championships in and Her first spell behind the wheel of a Formula One car came in , when she test drove a Renault.
It was a controversial move given that her previous efforts in racing had not earned her the superlicence she would have needed to race. Formula One pilots and other members of the international motor sport community at the Japanese Grand Prix, due to be held this Sunday, spoke of their shock. But it is very sad news, she was loved by everyone.
Now all we can do is pray for her and her family. De Villota was also clearly aware she could be a role model, and not just for women in Formula One, which has had only five women enter its races in its entire history — the last being the Italian Giovanna Amati in Her fight back to fitness captured hearts and made her the most famous female in motor racing.
With her eye patch and distinctively cropped blond hair, she came to represent all that is inspiring about the sport. She was on the grid at the Spanish GP in Barcelona this year, surrounded by schoolchildren.
Susie Wolff, a development driver for the Williams team, told the AP news agency that after her accident De Villota had asked her to carry on for her and all women drivers.
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