The past week has been one of the most exciting in Fernando Alonso’s illustrious racing career, but the McLaren-Honda Formula One driver came down from his high Sunday after receiving news of an accident at his karting track in Spain.
The Spanish racing federation announced Sunday that 11-year-old Gonzalo Basurto Movila died as a result of injuries he sustained at Museo y Circuito Fernando Alonso, The Associated Press reports.
Movila’s kart reportedly flipped and landed on top of him during a private practice session at the facility Saturday. He was taken to a hospital after the accident, but succumbed to his injuries early Sunday.
Alonso, who was in Alabama for Sunday’s Verizon IndyCar Series race at Barber Motorsports Park, tweeted Sunday he was “shattered” to learn of Movila’s death.
Despierto de madrugada en uno de los dĂas más tristes. Destrozado. Desde aquĂ, un abrazo enorme a la familia de Gonzalo y a todo el Karting.
— Fernando Alonso (@alo_oficial) April 23, 2017
“I wake up at dawn on one of the saddest days,” Alonso said, according to a translated version of the tweet. “Shattered. From here, a huge hug to Gonzalo’s family and all the karting.”
The two-time world champion opened his museum and karting track in Asturias, Spain, in 2013 a way to make F1 more accessible to fans.
Thumbnail photo via Honda
