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LONDON. — Formula One drivers Fernando Alonso and Valtteri Bottas were given the all-clear to race in the Malaysian Grand Prix yesterday after missing the season’s start because of injury. F1 medics cleared two-time world champion Alonso to make his McLaren debut after he suffered a concussion in a still-unexplained crash in testing on February 22. Alonso, who suffered temporary memory loss in the crash, was sidelined for the season-opener in Australia to avoid the risk of a second head impact too soon after the first.

The Spaniard “passed all mandatory fitness tests and has thus been declared fit to race in this weekend’s Malaysian Grand Prix”, governing body FIA said in a statement. Williams driver Bottas was also passed fit at the Sepang circuit after missing the season’s first race on March 15 with a lower back injury. — AFP.