LONDON -- Britain's Richard Burns was released from the hospital on Tuesday after fainting at the wheel in a motorway drama that left his world rally title hopes in tatters.

A Peugeot team spokeswoman said Burns had left his hospital in Cardiff and been told to rest while awaiting the result of medical tests.

Burns is likely to head for home, avoiding the media gathering in Cardiff for the season-ending Rally of Britain that will decide the closest title battle in world championship history.

As he left, details of what happened on Sunday afternoon emerged with Ford driver Markko Martin revealed as Burns's safe pair of hands.

A Ford team spokesman said the Estonian was travelling in the Peugeot driver's Porsche when the 32-year-old Briton blacked out at the wheel.

"They were in the car going down to Cardiff when it seemed that Richard didn't feel very well and fainted," he said.

"Between the two of them they managed to get the car over without hitting anybody and Markko then phoned for an ambulance."

Burns's personal trainer Steve Benton was also in a car behind and examined the driver on the spot.

Martin, a friend and rival of Burns, was reluctant to talk about how he wrenched the car to safety on the hard shoulder however.

"I don't think I'm in a position to comment," he told the Guardian newspaper. "I don't think I enjoyed it. I think it was better than if he was on his own."

Burns spent Sunday night in Newport hospital and was then moved to another in Cardiff on Monday.

Peugeot team boss Corrado Provera told the official www.wrc.com website that Burns, who leaves the team to return to Subaru next season after failing to win a rally in two seasons with the French manufacturer, had been given a scan.

"We are sure there is nothing really important (wrong with) him, but according to what the doctors told us it really is impossible for him to enter the rally," he said.

"It is a very sad situation for him and for all of us. It is a pity for the end of his co-operation with us. We were sure he would have done something extraordinary on his home rally. Unfortunately he will not be doing it."

The British rally starts in Cardiff with a superspecial on Thursday night and Burns, world champion with Subaru in 2001, would have been one of four drivers fighting for the championship.

His absence left a three-way battle with Citroen's French driver Sebastien Loeb and Spanish team mate Carlos Sainz a point clear of Subaru's Norwegian Petter Solberg.

Citroen is five points clear of Peugeot in the manufacturers' championship. Belgian Freddy Loix is replacing Burns for the rally before joining Peugeot next year.