control through Juncao corner and the start/finish straight. He rejoined the race in fourth position. Räikkönen retook the lead with the faster Fisichella second and Alonso third. On lap 54, a lack of tyre grip caused Räikkönen to understeer on the approach to the Mergulho turn and Fisichella passed him for the lead. Both drivers were borderline on fuel and it appeared Coulthard would return to the lead and win the event. At Arquibancadas corner, Webber attempted to prevent his tyres from overheating wherever possible and lost car grip on lap 54. He lost control of his car, and crashed heavily against the concrete barriers on each side of the circuit before the start/finish straight at . Debris from Webber's car and three of its tyres were strewn across the track and causing the safety car's fifth deployment. Webber clambered from his car unhurt. Fisichella and Räikkönen negotiated their way through the debris and the latter entered the pit lane to stop for fuel. Alonso did not notice the waved yellow flags informing him of a hazard, because he was discussing whether to use dry or wet tyres with Renault over the radio. He hit one of Webber's detached rear wheels at around in an impact measured at . Alonso veered left and struck a tyre wall at lateral and longitudinal. The car was launched broadside across the circuit and into a concrete barrier at . Alonso sustained a bruised left elbow, knee and thigh, a group of medical personnel placed him on a stretcher for transport by ambulance to the Saint Louis Hospital in São Paulo for observation. Because of a large amount of debris, personnel tending to Alonso, and 75% of the race distance covered, race continuation behind the safety car was impossible. The race ended early with a red flag after leader Fisichella finished lap 55, and all cars subsequently returned to the pit lane. Fisichella's car overheated because the safety car was slow and fire emerged from the engine bay as he stopped in parc fermé, The sporting regulations stated that the race would be "deemed to have finished when the leading car crossed the line at the end of the lap two laps prior to that lap during which the signal to stop was given" in the event more than 75% of it was completed. The official timekeeping screens first showed that Fisichella had begun