Former Spanish Formula One test driver Maria de Villota, one of the few women to come close to the top of the sport, has been found dead in a hotel in Seville, a police spokeswoman said on Friday.

De Villota, who lost her right eye and fractured her skull in a horrific accident at a test in England in July last year, had likely died of 'natural' causes, the spokeswoman said, adding that an investigation was ongoing.

'We are assuming it was a natural death, but we cannot confirm anything,' the police spokeswoman said, adding that forensic scientists and police from the homicide unit would examine the scene.

Although the 33-year-old recovered from the life-threatening injuries sustained in the crash, she no longer competed and had instead become an inspirational figure for aspiring female drivers and was due to present a book detailing her experiences on Monday.

The daughter of former F1 racer Emilio De Villota, she was appointed test driver for Anglo-Russian team Marussia a few months before her crash.

She never took part in a general test with other drivers but was one of only a handful of women to have driven Formula One cars in the last decade. None, though, have come near to racing one in competition.

The news of her sudden passing stunned Spain and the motor racing world.

'I feel I owe it to her (to say something) because, out of the paddock an.