Jelena Dokic, a former world number four tennis player, had an eye injury after Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin sent gravel flying at Albert Park.
As drivers tried to gain a feel for the circuit during Friday practice, Alonso found himself slipping out of shape into Turn 10, sending dirt up into the air as he drove through and back onto the pavement. And the errant pebbles caused Dokic to require treatment for her right eye.
Jelena Dokic has ‘bloodshot and scratched eye’.
Dokic moved to social media to tell the story and praise the “amazing” paramedic at Mercedes, whom he had been watching from the Mercedes-AMG Lounge.
She also confirmed that the ordeal fortunately has not put her off being there to watch the Formula 1 action live and in person.
“When you go to the Formula One weekend at the Australian Grand Prix and a car going off track happens right in front of you, literally and all the rock debris flies right into your eye,” Dokic posted.
“Fernando Alonso ran off the track and the rock debris that you see flying off the back wheels went straight into my right eye.
“Had to get treated for it but all good. Just a bloodshot and scratched eye. I will survive.
“Amazing and quick work by the paramedic at Mercedes-AMG Lounge. Thank you all that took care of me. I am all good. Ready to watch some more
Alonso went on to put his Aston Martin P10 on the grid for the Australian Grand Prix, the two-time World Champion suffering another trip through the gravel which impacted his confidence on his final Q3 attempt.
“Getting both cars into Q3 was more or less what we expected today,” Alonso reflected.
“My first lap in Q3 wasn’t great: I went off into the gravel at Turn Six. My mistake. So, on my final push-lap, I didn’t really have full confidence in the car. It was tricky.
“I feel we are a little bit less competitive than we were in Jeddah. The car was sliding; a little sensitive in the wind; lacking consistency. But it’s the same for everybody. Still, we need to find more pace. There will be lots going on tomorrow.
“It’s not going to be an easy race for the tyres – graining will be a concern for everybody – so let’s see if we can manage them better than the others. We want to get both cars home in the points tomorrow.”
With teammate Lance Stroll qualifying ninth, row five of the Australian Grand Prix grid is all Aston Martin.
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