Alonso fails medical exam in Bahrain

Mar.31 - Fernando Alonso will miss this weekend's Bahrain grand prix.

Although the Spaniard made the trip to the island Kingdom in the wake of his horror crash in Melbourne, his clearance to return to the cockpit depended on a meeting with FIA doctors on Thursday.

After that examination, while Alonso told reporters he feels "ok" and wants to race, the FIA revealed that the McLaren-Honda driver has been ruled out for Bahrain.

"Two sets of chest CT scans were compared and it was decided that there was insufficient resolution of the signs to allow him to compete on safety grounds," spokesman Matteo Bonciani confirmed.

A day after the Melbourne crash, Alonso - wearing a bandage on his knee - had confided to the correspondent for the Swiss daily Blick: "I slept badly and have sore ribs."

McLaren confirmed on Thursday that Alonso will be replaced in Bahrain by reserve Stoffel Vandoorne, the reigning GP2 champion, who is now en route.

The Woking based team said it accepted the FIA's decision about Alonso.

"Stoffel will be here on Friday morning," the team declared.

Former double world champion Alonso is now aiming to return to action in China.

"A repeat chest scan has been requested before the Chinese grand prix," the FIA's Bonciani said, "and the results will be considered before allowing him to race there."

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