BARCELONA, Spain —  Formula One driver Heikki Kovalainen was carried away on a stretcher after a high-speed crash at the Spanish Grand Prix.

The McLaren driver's front left tire exploded Sunday and the Finn crashed into a wall of tires on a bend. Race stewards worked for around 10 minutes to free Kovalainen.

He was taken to the track's medical center wearing a neck brace but gave a thumbs-up sign to spectators. Officials said Kovalainen was in stable condition.

Nearly the entire front end of Kovalainen's car was missing after the crash.

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