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Maria De Villota, 32, was taking part in her first test for the Formula One team at Duxford Airfield when she 'inexplicably accelerated' to about 40mph into a support truck after completing her opening lap.
After treatment by trackside paramedics, the Spaniard was taken to the local Addenbrooke's hospital.
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Maria De Villota at a photo call this morning, and in the Marussia car at Duxford Airfield, Cambridgeshire, shortly before the accident
According to eyewitnesses, the accident occurred after De Villota had pulled up in front of her mechanics after completing her first lap of the day and 'inexplicably accelerated' into a support truck
Emergency workers and Marussia F1 staff at the scene at Duxford today
Marussia test driver Maria De Villota is said to be fighting for her life
Gary Sanderson, spokesman for the East of England Ambulance Service, said: 'A woman has sustained life-threatening injuries and following treatment at the scene by paramedics, she has been taken to Addenbrookes hospital for further care.'
According to eyewitnesses, the accident occurred after De Villota had pulled up in front of her mechanics after completing her first lap of the day, during which she reached speeds of about 200mph.
As the mechanics approached to wheel the car back for service, it accelerated forwards and crashed into the stationary vehicle parked nearby.
The front of the Marussia car was destroyed in the crash and De Villota's helmet was seen to impact with the side of the truck.
The 32-year-old Spaniard was taken to Addenbrooke's hospital
The front of the Marussia car was destroyed in the crash and De Villota's helmet was seen to impact with the side of the truck (file photo)
De Villota was reportedly motionless for around 15 minutes as paramedics attended to her but was seen to move her hands before being transported to hospital.
BBC Cambridgeshire presenter Chris Mann, who was at the Imperial War Museum-owned airfield when the accident happened, said the car 'inexplicably accelerated' into the back of the team's parked support truck.
'The driver's helmet was impacted on the side of the truck,' he reported. 'It just happened suddenly, a very shocking incident.
Racing in the blood: De Villota is the daughter of former Formula One driver Emilio de Villota
'The car slowed down for it to be reversed into the pits which was actually a tent. But at the last second it just suddenly accelerated again so by the time it hit the truck, it was doing 30 or 40 miles an hour.'
He added: 'It appeared to me that she wasn't moving for about 10 or 15 minutes. We saw her move her hands after about a quarter of an hour and it took almost an hour for the ambulance (staff) to feel confident to take her out of the car.'
De Villota is the daughter of Spanish former F1 driver Emilio de Villota.
She was appointed test driver of Russian-licensed Marussia in March, making her the only woman in such a role at the time although Williams have since handed a similar development role to Suzie Wolff.
This year is the first season the team has competed as Marussia after the Russian sports car manufacturer bought a controlling stake in the former Virgin team.
Marussia has not yet scored any points this season.
The team's race regulars are German driver Timo Glock, who missed the last grand prix in Valencia through illness, and Frenchman Charles Pic.
De Villota was given a test drive by Renault in August last year when she clocked up just under 200 miles, and has previously raced in Spanish F3, the Daytona 24 Hours, the Euroseries 3000 and Superleague Formula Championship.
A statement from Marussia read: 'At approximately 09.15 BST this morning, the Marussia F1 Team’s Test Driver Maria De Villota had an accident in the team’s MR-01 race car at Duxford Airfield where she was testing the car for the first time.
'The accident happened at the end of her first installation run and involved an impact with the team’s support truck.
'Maria has been transferred to hospital. Once her medical condition has been assessed, a further statement will be issued.'
A Cambridgeshire police spokesman said: 'We were notified by the ambulance service of a slow-speed crash involving a racing car and a lorry.
'It looks like the driver has suffered a serious injury and we will be notifying the Health and Safety Executive as it happened on private land.'
VIDEO: Watch Maria talk to CNN about her driving career only a month before the accident...
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