Ex-IndyCar champ advises injured Alonso not to rush comeback post F1 test crash

Two-time IndyCar champion Gil De Ferran has advised injured Formula One racer Fernando Alonso not to rush comeback into the racing arena after crashing his McLaren-Honda in the final day of pre-season testing in Barcelona on Sunday that left him concussed.

Alonso hit the wall on the exit of the 150 miles-per-hour Turn Three at the Circuit de Barcelona -Catalunya, which is one of Formula One's most demanding corners.

De Ferran, who suffered major concussions in his career, won the 2003 Indianapolis 500.

The former sporting director of the Honda F1 team from 2005-07, said that hopefully he would be OK and recuperate 100 percent, adding that if he were his friend he would have said 'Don't return until you are 100% ready', the BBC reported.

De Ferran further said that Alonso could only do himself more damage if he came back when he was not ready.

The Brazilian added that it seemed that if Alonso had to spend three days in hospital, it was fairly serious as concussions are by far the worst type of injury a racing driver can incur.

The two-time Formula One champion has left hospital and has returned to his home in Spain for further rest and recovery.