July 21, 2002	Sunday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 10,1423

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MAGNY-COURS (France), July 20: Jordan’s Giancarlo Fisichella was ruled out of qualifying for Sunday’s French Formula One Grand Prix after crashing at high speed in the final free practice on Saturday.

The Italian escaped serious injury when his Jordan was wrecked but was ruled out of the afternoon’s qualifying session as a precaution.

Team officials said they would decide early on Sunday whether to appeal for Fisichella to be allowed to race despite his absence from qualifying.

Practice was halted for 20 minutes.

Fisichella’s crash overshadowed the session, with the Italian shaken by the high-speed impact.

He climbed out of the car, removing a glove to inspect his left hand, before being taken away in the medical car while track workers rebuilt the tyre wall.

Television replays showed the Jordan’s front wing snapping off and becoming wedged under the car, lifting the front wheels in the air.

Unable to steer, Fisichella plunged into the tyre barrier, ripping off the front wheels and nose cone and shattering the left side of the car.

The Roman was fortunate at least to hit the shock-absorbing tyres, with a concrete wall just metres away down the track.

Jordan said Fisichella was flown to hospital where checks showed no signs of concussion but Formula One medical chief Sid Watkins still advised the Italian not to take part in qualifying.

Jordan said they would assess Fisichella’s condition on Sunday and might appeal to race stewards to grant him an exemption and allow him to race.—Reuters