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BARCELONA, Spain - It's 10 months since her Marussia test-session crash and at last Maria de Villota will return to a Formula 1 paddock this weekend (May 11-12, 2013) -and in her native Spain.
In July 2012 the 33-year-old was parking after a straight-line aerodynamic test in the UK when the 2012 Marussia car she was driving inexplicably accelerated into a truck's loading ramp.
'HARDER TO SLEEP'
Villota, whose father is former F1 driver Emilio de Villota, sustained serious head injuries and lost her right eye. She is scheduled to attend the 2013 Spanish GP in Barcelona and admits to being "a little nervous".
She said: "It's the first race I'm going to since the accident so I'm finding it harder to sleep. It's difficult for me because I miss it but I want to see all the drivers at home and I think we'll see a great race. I want to thank many people that I have not seen since the accident, and I've been unable to acknowledge the support they gave me by putting my star on their helmet."
She admitted she would have mixed feelings when meeting Marussia team members. "I think now they're working with new drivers, which is the natural cycle of things," Villota said. "I was with them, but life goes on."
Stay with Wheels24 for the 2013 Formula 1 season – fresh reports every day.
In July 2012 the 33-year-old was parking after a straight-line aerodynamic test in the UK when the 2012 Marussia car she was driving inexplicably accelerated into a truck's loading ramp.
'HARDER TO SLEEP'
Villota, whose father is former F1 driver Emilio de Villota, sustained serious head injuries and lost her right eye. She is scheduled to attend the 2013 Spanish GP in Barcelona and admits to being "a little nervous".
She said: "It's the first race I'm going to since the accident so I'm finding it harder to sleep. It's difficult for me because I miss it but I want to see all the drivers at home and I think we'll see a great race. I want to thank many people that I have not seen since the accident, and I've been unable to acknowledge the support they gave me by putting my star on their helmet."
She admitted she would have mixed feelings when meeting Marussia team members. "I think now they're working with new drivers, which is the natural cycle of things," Villota said. "I was with them, but life goes on."
Stay with Wheels24 for the 2013 Formula 1 season – fresh reports every day.