Fiat chief Marchionne unhurt after crashes Ferrari

ZURICH, Nov 4 (Reuters) Fiat chief executive Sergio Marchionne escaped unhurt after crashing his Ferrari on a motorway in Switzerland, the company said yesterday.

Police had declined to give the identity of the two drivers when describing the accident on the A1 motorway near the town of Olten on Friday.

A Ferrari crashed into the back of a Renault whose 76-year-old French driver had suddenly braked, police said in a press release yesterday.

The shock had caused the Ferrari's airbags to blow up, blocking the driver's sight. The driver then lost control of his car and rammed it into the crash barriers.

Nobody was hurt in the accident, police said. Ferrari is Fiat's luxury sports car division.

Swiss newspapers yesterday said Marchionne had been the Ferrari's driver, which Fiat later confirmed.

REUTERS PBB AS0715