Ken Block is out of Rally Portugal after he rolled his Monster Ford RS WRC 5 times on tonight’s shakedown stage.

By D.Darrall

Both Block and co-driver Alex Gelsomino were hospitalised after the crash, but a team spokesmen said neither was seriously injured in the accident. The spokesman said: “Both Ken and Alex have been taken to hospital in Faro for precautionary checks. All I know is that they rolled, but they’re okay. We won’t know the situation with the car until it is recovered back to service.”

The crash was around 1.8km into the short 5km stage, when the American star lost control of his Fiesta on a 4th-gear right. The car clipped a bank, and is said to have rolled in the air over a bank, landing in the trees. Shakedown was stopped while the crew were taken out of the car and transported to hospital in Faro.

The crew are expected to be released from hospital this evening, but they will not be starting the third round of the World Rally Championship. The car is reportedly destroyed.

Last years winner Sebastien Ogier was fastest at shakedown, beating Loeb by just one tenth of a second. Ford’s Jari-Matti Latvala was third quickest, three tenths off Ogier’s time.