F1 in mourning after former test driver De Villota is found dead in hotel room

Former World Touring Car Championship and Superleague Formula driver, and daughter of ex-F1 racer Emilio de Villota, Maria de Villota was found dead in a hotel room in Sevilla. The Spaniard was 33. Spanish police have confirmed her death, and say it appears she died of natural causes.

It was in July last year that she suffered a life-threatening accident performing an aerodynamic test for Marussia at the Duxford Aerodrome ahead of the British Grand Prix. De Villota crashed into the loading ramp at the back of a team lorry.

She lost her right eye but after a month in hospital, she made a full recovery from her injuries which included significant damage to the skull.

A statement released by her family read: 'Dear friends: Maria is gone. She had to go to heaven with all of the angels. Give thanks to God for the year and a half we had left together. Signed, the Villota family.'

The entire team at autoX extends their condolences to the Villota family.