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F1 driver Maria de Villota found dead in hotel room
AFP
October 12, 2013, 1:29 am
Madrid (AFP) - Former Formula 1 reserve driver Maria de Villota, 33, was found dead in a hotel room in Seville on Friday morning, a police spokeswoman confirmed.
"The body of this person has been found in a hotel in Seville, there are no signs of violence but we need to wait for the autopsy," she said.
De Villota, daughter of former Formula 1 driver Emilio De Villota, was the first Spanish female to enter the sport when she joined the Marussia team in 2012 as a test driver.
However, just four months later De Villota suffered severe injuries, including the loss of her right eye in a crash while testing at Duxford Airfield in Cambridgeshire.
"Maria has left us. She had to go to heaven like all the angels. I give thanks to God for the extra year and a half he left her with us," read a message from her family posted on De Villota's Facebook page.
"It is with great sadness that we learned a short time ago of the news that Maria de Villota has passed away," the Marussia team said in a statement.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with Maria?s family and friends at this very difficult time."
The news has shocked the world of motorsport with tributes to a female pioneer in the sport pouring in.
De Villota had hoped to become just the third woman in history to take part in a Formula One race and Sauber team principal Monisha Kaltenborn, who became the first female team principal in the sport in 2012, hopes she has left a legacy for future female drivers to follow.
If anybody represented strength and optimism, it was MarÃ*a," she said.
"Her sudden death is a big loss to the motorsport world as she was an important ambassador for relaying important messages to the youth, and particularly girls that aspire to a career in motorsport. MarÃ*a was an example of someone who never gave up, she always had a smile on her face and we will dearly miss her.?
"She gave young girls strength. Undergoing what she did and to still come out there and still be so convinced.
"Even if she maybe couldn't drive in Formula One the way she dreamt (after the crash), she didn't give up her passion. Hopefully she has made a difference. Now it's up to us to transfer that message further."
Two-time Formula One champion Fernando Alonso said he was in shock after finding out the news ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka this weekend.
"It?s hard to talk about Maria de Villota right now, as I had only just taken my helmet off, when I was told about her death and at the moment, I still can?t believe it and need a while to stop and think about it," he said.
"Of course, it?s very sad news for the world of motorsport as Maria was loved by everyone. Now, all we can do is pray for her and for her family."
President of the Spanish Automobile Federation, Carlos Gracia also added his condolences.
"I have just found out. It is a very hard to take. There is no explanation for what has happened," he told Spanish National Radio.
"She was a great person and an example for everyone."
Formula One in mourning after female test driver De Villota is tragically found dead in hotel room, a year after her horror crash
The former test driver was dead by the time emergency services arrived
Police 'assuming natural death' and say there was no sign of violence
De Villota lost her eye in a life-threatening crash at Duxford last year
A book chronicling her life was due for release on Monday
By SIMON CASS PUBLISHED: 07:05 GMT, 11 October 2013 | UPDATED: 13:21 GMT, 11 October 2013
Former Marussia test driver Maria de Villota has been found dead in a Spanish hotel room.De Villota, who was just 33 years old, was already dead by the time the emergency services arrived at the hotel in Seville. Initial reports claim there was no sign of violence. Spanish police have confirmed her death, and say it appears she died of natural causes, with newspaper El Mundo claiming she suffered a cardiac arrest. 'We are assuming it was a natural death, but we cannot confirm anything,' a police spokeswoman said.
Rocked: Maria de Villota has been found dead in a hotel room - the Spanish racer was 33 years old
Incident: An ambulance leaves the Congresos Hotel in Seville
Tragedy: Maria De Villota was the guest of honour at the Spanish Grand Prix earlier this season
Horror crash: Maria De Villota collided with a lorry at the Duxford Aerodrome last year
A statement released by her family read: 'Dear friends: Maria is gone. She had to go to heaven with all of the angels. Give thanks to God for the year and a half we had left together. Signed, the Villota family.'The Spanish female Formula One driver suffered grave injuries while driving a Marussia for the first time in July last year.Performing an aerodynamic test at the Duxford Aerodrome ahead of the British Grand Prix, De Villota crashed into the loading ramp at the back of a team lorry with eyewitness reporting the car was travelling between 30 and 40mph.
De Villota married 29-year-old personal trainer Rodrigo Garcia Millan (below) in July of this year
De Villota was due to speak in a conference on Friday in Seville under the name 'What really matters'
MESSAGES OF CONDOLENCE
'The girl has been through so much, more than most people could go through in their lives. It has been tough for her but this is horrific news and a real shock for the whole paddock and the world of motorsport. We saw her this year in Barcelona, we were doing some work for a children's charity, and she was the first to put her hand up and do the work for the charity and she brought other drivers in to get involved. She was doing a lot for the community, so very sad news.'
McLaren driver Jenson Button
'We were extremely saddened to learn of the loss of Maria de Villota. On behalf of everyone in the team, we send our sincere condolences to Maria’s family at this difficult time.'
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner
'Our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Maria de Villota following the tragic news of her passing today. Her courage, determination and hope were an example and inspiration to many. She will be sadly missed by our sport.
Mercedes F1 team
'Even though we're far away, the whole team's hearts and minds are with the family of Maria de Villota at this terrible, terrible time...'
McLaren
'Tragic news of Maria de Villota passing away, our thoughts are with her family and friends!'
Ferrari
'We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Maria de Villota earlier today. On behalf of the whole team. I would like to express our condolences to the friends, family and colleagues of Maria. Our thoughts are with them at this difficult time.'
Lotus team principal Eric Boullier
'We are shocked to hear about the death of Maria de Villota. Our sincerest condolences and sympathy to her family for this tragic loss.' Sauber
'We'd like to echo the thoughts of the whole paddock and express our deepest condolences on the news of Maria de Villota's passing. RIP.'
Caterham
So sad news emerging from Spain regarding Maria de Villota, my sincerest condolences to her family and friends
F1 driver Heikki Kovalainen
'Tragic news about Maria de Villota. Sat next to her just a couple weeks ago at FIA Drivers Comm meeting. Was doing a lot for women in racing.'
Former F1 driver Karun Chandhok
'Very sad news coming from Spain about brave Maria de Villota passing away. Our thoughts are with Maria's family and friends in this moment.'
Force India
'Can't believe the news this morning. Such sad news. Such a lovely lady. R.I.P and thank you for the support you gave me.'
British driver Alice Powell
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.'Our thoughts and prayers are with Maria’s family and friends at this very difficult time.'In October last year De Villota gave her first interview to Spanish magazine Hola!, the accompanying pictures revealing the remarkable recovery she had made from her injuries.
Moments after climbing from the cockpit of his Ferrari after the second practice session for this Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix, fellow Spaniard Fernando Alonso said: ‘I had just taken off my crash helmet when they told me. I don’t know what to say. Pray for her, for her family and for the whole motorsport family. She was loved by everybody. I don’t really know what to say.’FOTA,chairman and McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh added: 'The whole paddock is very shocked by the news that Maria is no longer with us. 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.'Maria participated in the Manhattan Fans' Forum on behalf of her team, Marussia F1, last year, and made a lasting impression on the fans who attended. 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.'It didn't take her any time at all until she was back (from her accident) and was planning to maybe even drive,' Kaltenborn told BBC Radio 5Live.'But more important for her was to really go out there and give other people the courage that you can still do so much, even if you have such a major setback.'She's been one of the pillars of the work the FIA ambassador programme has been doing, because when you go out there you need to have credibility, a strong personality and you need to be able to reach out to people and that's all she could do.'
She had such a tragic experience and yet she had all that courage to be out there and talk about it and still to believe in that cause, and she always had that smile on her face.'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.'She had such a spirit for life and what she came through was a testament to her strength of character and her positive outlook.
United they stand: The Formula One paddock has paid its respects to De Villota who was found dead on Friday
DE VILLOTA FACTFILE
1980: Born January 13, in Madrid, Spain 1996-2000: Competes in various forms of karting. 2002-06: Drives in the Spanish F3 championship, with a best result of third in Jarama.
In 2004 takes part in the Daytona 24 Hours, finishing ninth in the GT class in a Ferrari Modena. 2007: Competes in the German Touring Car Championship and WTCC with Chevrolet. 2008: Claims a best finish of seventh in the Formula 3000 Euroseries. 2009-10: Drives for Atletico Madrid in the now defunct Superleague Formula, with a high of fourth at the Nurburgring. 2011: Has a test with Lotus Renault GP at the Paul Ricard Circuit in August. 2012: March - signs for Marussia as test driver. June - Becomes one of the four founding figures of the Women & Motorsport Commission designed to increase the presence of women in motorsport. July - Loses her right eye in a freak accident at Duxford Aerodrome while straight-line testing with Marussia. Spends a month in hospital. 2013: October11 - Is found dead in a hotel room in Seville.
'After the accident she was so behind me and had such a lust for life, she was so happy to be alive and that she'd survived it and she had so many great plans for the future.'She was just an incredible lady, no matter about what she did on the racetrack. 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.De Villota was due to speak in a conference on Friday in Seville under the name ‘What really matters’. 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 29-year-old personal trainer Rodrigo Garcia Millan in July of this year. Her father was former Formula One driver Emilio de Villota.
Prior to being handed the chance with Marussia, De Villota had raced in diverse motorsport categories such as Spanish Formula Three and the World Touring Car Championship. 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.
