Alex Albon has been pulled from the Brazilian Grand Prix following a severe shunt at the end of qualifying that caused significant damage to his Williams machine.
The Thai-British driver was second in the Q3 running order at the time of the accident, but he lost control on the approach to Turn One in wet conditions, spinning into the outside barriers at high speeds.
Albon told the journalists immediately after the incident, “I think we had an issue; I know we had an issue; we just need to work through it.”
“As soon as I pushed the stop pedal, I heard a beep in my ear, which usually indicates a failure, rear locking, and a catastrophic collision. Unfortunately, we will not be participating in the race.
Albon was not the only driver who encountered obstructions during qualifying. Four more drivers, including Lance Stroll, Fernando Alonso, Carlos Sainz, and Williams teammate Franco Colapinto, raised red flags for heavy accidents.
Sainz’s Grand Prix was also jeopardised, with indications from within the paddock indicating that the winner of the Mexican Grand Prix will start from the pit lane.
Both of these bad scenarios will benefit Max Verstappen, who was initially dropped to 17th on the grid after receiving a five-place grid penalty.
Verstappen’s reaction to his unfortunate Q2 exit, however, was furious. “The car hits the wall, it needs to be a straight red,” he fumed to Sky Sports F1.
“I don’t understand why it takes 30-40 seconds for a red flag to appear. “It’s just bulls***.” He went on to say, “Honestly, I let it go.” It’s so ridiculous to talk about. “That’s ridiculous.”
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