(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-04-28 09:38

BARCELONA - McLaren's Finnish driver Heikki Kovalainen was taken to hospital on Sunday after being knocked unconscious in a heavy crash at the Spanish Grand Prix.

Team boss Ron Dennis, who blamed the accident on a wheel rim failure, told reporters that the 26-year-old was concussed but had suffered no external injuries and brain scans showed no trauma.

Finnish McLaren-Mercedes Formula One driver Heikki Kovalainen is taken out of his car after he crashed during the Spanish Grand Prix at the Catalonian racetrack in Montmelo, near Barcelona, Spain, on Sunday, April 27, 2008. [Agencies]

He said there was a good chance of Kovalainen being available for the next race, the fifth round of the Formula One season, in Turkey on May 11.

"There's no damage or bruising or bleeding so we are quite optimistic about the next race," said Dennis.

"I have spoken to our doctor at the hospital and they are quite optimistic at this very early stage that he will be able to race."

The Finn, who was leading after both Ferraris and team mate Lewis Hamilton had pitted, speared straight into the tyre wall at speed on the 22nd of 66 laps with the car penetrating deep under the barrier.

The team had no radio contact after the impact, with the driver slumped unconscious in the cockpit while marshals tried to pull the car out.

Kovalainen, who joined McLaren from Renault at the end of last season, gave a thumbs-up sign as he was taken away on a stretcher in a neck brace while the safety car was deployed.

The Finn was taken to the circuit medical centre, where officials said he was conscious and stable, before being flown by helicopter to hospital in Barcelona.

Dennis said he was likely to be kept in overnight for observation.

Television footage showed the McLaren's front left tyre suddenly deflated moments before the car left the track at speed with Kovalainen a helpless passenger.

"As far as we can tell, because we've now got the parts, is that a wheel failed. It's a very unusual occurrence," said Dennis.

"It was a brand new wheel effectively so we will have to analyse the components. But it's 99.9 percent certain the wheel failed."

Dennis said the team had satisfied themselves from looking at the data during the ensuing safety car period that it was safe for Hamilton to continue in the race.

The British driver said it had never crossed his mind that he might have to stop but he had been concerned about his team mate's condition.

"I came past and I saw there was a car in the wall and it just looked red so I didn't know if it was one of us or the Ferraris," said Hamilton.

"I did actually see a glimpse of the footage on the (big screen) TV and it looked very reminiscent of my incident last year at the Nuerburgring. So I was a bit terrified really for whoever it was because I saw the impact was quite heavy.

"The team told me it was Heikki, they didn't know how he was immediately but Ron came onto the radio half way through and said that he was okay but slightly concussed. I'm sure he'll bounce back."