Alonso's agent plays down accident

Fernando Alonso's agent has denied reports that the Formula One star was involved in a minor plane accident yesterday.

There had been suggestions the two-time world champion was flying back from a holiday in Kenya with his wife when the light aircraft he was travelling in brushed a building on take-off, damaging a wing. But the agent for the Renault driver insisted it was not as serious as reported. "It seems that the plane took a blow while they were parking it," said Luis Garcia Abad. "Fernando wasn't even inside the aircraft. We didn't give it the slightest importance and because of that this commotion surprises us. It doesn't even qualify as an accident."