Ferrari 'saves Ronaldo's life'
Christiano Ronaldo, Manchester United's Portuguese current world footballer of the year, was involved in a spectacular crash on Thursday 7 January in a tunnel on the A538 near Manchester airport.
Details are sketchy at present, but witnesses say the 23-year-old's Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano crashed into the tunnel wall seemingly without reason; that the "front left-hand wheel came off" just before the collision, according to Jody Lomax, who was driving behind Ronaldo at the time.
Police are currently investigating, but have already made clear that Ronaldo was not under the influence of alcohol. And amazingly, the footballer resumed training that very morning, unhurt, despite writing off the 599 completely. Images show that the front kerbside wheel was indeed missing after the crash, and the airbag had been deployed.
Questions remain as to why the wheel came off, but given that the car was described by a photographer as a "terrible mess", the wrecked 599's occupant safety should be commended.
Yet the Italian maker doesn't ever laud its safety merits - and Euro NCAP doesn't even publish any Ferrari crash test results. Clearly, the front airbag played a part in the footballer's unscathed escape, as well as its four-point harnesses and cockpit roll-bar.
In addition, the 599 has an 'F1-Trac' system that continually monitors the speed of all the wheels and predicts how much power each will need, optimising traction and stability. As such, the 599 can be better and more easily controlled in an emergency situation - such as careering towards a tunnel wall.
No doubt Ronaldo bought the 599 for its stunning looks and astonishing performance, but perhaps he'll be thanking Ferrari for its safety advances when this crash investigation is over?
