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Chilton 'very lucky' to avoid flying tyre

ESPN Staff
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Max Chilton says he is "very lucky" to have avoided a serious injury after tweeting a picture of a flying tyre from Kimi Raikkonen's accident frighteningly close to his head at Silverstone.

Chilton was one of the cars coming down Wellington Straight as Raikkonen's Ferrari bounced across the track after hitting the barrier, prompting a first-lap red flag. Raikkonen's front right tyre came loose on impact and bounced across the circuit - narrowly missing Chilton's car.

On the replays of the accident Chilton can be seen locking up heavily as the tyre goes over his Marussia. Thankfully Raikkonen also escaped serious injury, leaving the medical centre with bruising on his knee.

It once again raises the issue of head safety in motor sport, which gained attention in 2009 after Henry Surtees - son of former world champion John - was killed by a bouncing tyre colliding with his helmet in a Formula Two race at Brands Hatch. That incident happened just one week before Felipe Massa was hospitalised with life-threatening injuries after being struck by a detached spring from Rubens Barichello's car in Hungary.

Having been sent the picture by a fan on Twitter, Chilton shared it with his own followers:

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