Third practice red-flagged after rare Alonso crash

A rare mistake by Fernando Alonso has triggered a red flag 27 minutes into third practice at Imola, as the two-time world champion crashed at Turn 18. 

Alonso entered the corner and lost the rear of the car, sending him into the barrier backwards which is not far from the edge of the circuit. 

The main damage was done to the rear of the car, raising questions now as to whether the Spaniard will need key components replaced ahead of qualifying. 

Aston Martin's veteran was in ninth at the time of his accident, whilst Carlos Sainz sat at the top of the timesheets ahead of his Ferrari team-mate. 

Alonso immediately reported over the radio that he was OK, and walked away from the incident. Thankfully, the accident took place close to the pit-lane. The session resumed after a handful of minutes.