Female test driver Maria found dead in hotel

A Madrid native,she was the daughter of Emilio de Villota,who competed in F1 from 1976-82. Her family used De Villotas Facebook page to say Dear friends: Maria has left us. She had to go to heaven like all angels. I give thanks to God for the year and a half that he left her with us.

F1 drivers and officials at the Japanese Grand Prix were stunned by her death. The whole paddock is very shocked by the news that Maria is no longer with us, McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh . She was an inspiration not just to women in this sport,but also to all those who suffered life-threatening injuries.

Saubers Monisha Kaltenhorn,the first female team principal in F1,said,If anybody represented strength and optimism,it was Maria. Her sudden death is a big loss to the motorsport world.

Williams development driver Susie Wolff recalled how De Villota asked her to carry on for her and all women drivers following her accident.

She very much said to me after it,Its up to you to go out there and show them that it a woman driver in F1 is possible, Wolff said. She knew that women could compete at that level and thats why,after her accident and her not being able to do that anymore,she just wanted someone to know it was possible. She had such a spirit for life. What she came through was a testament to her strength of character and her positive outlook on life.

Marussia expressed its condolences. It is with great sadness that we learned a short time ago of the news that Maria de Villota has passed away, Marussia said in a statement. Our thoughts and prayers are with Marias family and friends at this very difficult time.

Fellow Spaniard Fernando Alonso said: Its 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.

De Villotas almost fatal accident in July 2012 occurred while she was driving an F1 car for only the fourth time and hit a support truck during a straight-line exercise near an airfield in England.

Vettel fastest in practice

Suzuka: Runaway leader Sebastian Vettel timed quickest ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix on Friday. Vettel avoided a rash of spins and crashes on Friday to clock 1min 33.852secs in the afternoon session,0.168 quicker than team-mate Mark Webber,in hot conditions. Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg was third with Lotus’s Kimi Raikkonen fourth.

Marussia’s Jules Bianchi hit a wall heavily at turn nine,ruling him out of P2 due to chassis damage,before Pastor Maldonado’s Williams lost a wheel coming through the Spoon curve. Maldonado’s day came to a quick halt when,12 minutes into the second run,he smashed into the same wall that did for Bianchi.

AFP