The footballer Cristiano Ronaldo wrote off his red Ferrari today after colliding with a barrier on his way to training with the Manchester United team.

The front of the £200,000 599 GTB model was crumpled in the smash and one of its wheels lay 200 yards behind the battered vehicle in a tunnel near Manchester airport this morning.

A witness said the Portugal international walked away from the wreckage with no sign of injury. “It is amazing he got out of it without a scratch,” said the man who asked not to be named.

Another driver in the tunnel suggested that Ronaldo’s footwork may have deserted him as his supercar’s engine roared.

Jodie Lomax, who was in a car behind, told BBC Radio Manchester: "I was driving behind going under the Manchester Airport tunnel when a Ferrari in front of me dropped a gear. It was an awesome sound. I put my window down to listen to the exhaust. It sounded absolutely superb. Then the Ferrari went straight into the wall.

"His front left-hand wheel came off and then Ronaldo got out of the car. I was shocked. He was all right. He was walking. I was stunned to see the Ferrari go into the wall and then seeing Ronaldo. He was all right. He was obviously shocked. Who wouldn't be? It's a shame about the car as well."

Last night the 23-year-old millionaire came on as a substitute in United’s 1-0 defeat at Derby County, but he failed to make an impact in what has been a disappointing season.

Sir Alex Ferguson, Manchester United’s manager, had considered allowing him to return to Portugal for a short holiday this week in a bid to calm him down after a series of fractious displays.

But the midfield player stayed in Manchester and he was involved in the accident as he drove on the A538 Wilmslow Road this morning. At around 10.20am his car crashed in the tunnel which takes traffic under the airport runways between Wilmslow and Hale in Cheshire.

No other vehicle was involved although the United goalkeeper, Edwin van der Sar, was travelling behind Ronaldo in a Bentley at the time. The players were driving to the Carrington training ground from their homes in Chester.

The club said that both were taking part in training as normal today. “Cristiano is fine,” a spokeswoman said. “It was on his way to training. He did not receive any treatment. He has trained this morning with the team and is ok."

Ronaldo passed a breathalyser test at the scene after speaking to police officers but he faces a further interview by police investigating the accident.

“He’s been briefly spoken to at the scene for a first account of the incident,” said a spokeswoman for Greater Manchester Police. “He will be interviewed at greater length at a later date.

“Officers attended and discovered a Ferrari had collided with a barrier. No one is believed to have been injured. Inquiries are continuing.”

The footballer has reportedly spent £2 million pounds on fast cars since joining Manchester United five years ago. As well as the Ferrari, he is thought to also own several Porsches, a BMW and a Rolls Royce Phantom with a personalised CR7 number plate that cost around £150,000.