Maria de Villota’s death was caused by the injuries she suffered in her Marussia Formula 1 test crash last year in Duxford, according to her family.

The Spanish driver suffered massive head injuries in July 2012 and lost her right eye after the collision with a team support truck during a test at Duxford Aerodrome.

She did a fantastic recovery from her injuries and undertook extensive charity work, as part of which she was at this year’s Spanish GP, and was expected to launch her autobiography next Monday.

Maria de Villota’s sister, Isabel de Villota, read a statement in which she said that the family’s been informed that her death was a legacy of the injuries she suffered in her accident last year.

Maria left us while she was sleeping, approximately at 6am, as a consequence of the neurological injuries that she suffered in July of 2012, according to what the forensic doctor has told us.

Said the family statement.

Maria is gone, but she has left us a very clear message of joy and hope, which is helping the family move on in these moments.

Maria’s funeral will take place in Madrid, Spain, in a private intimate ceremony.