Japanese Formula 1 driver Yuki Tsunoda has been taken to the medical centre for precautionary checks after a dramatic crash during Q1 of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola.
The 25-year-old lost control of his RB car (Racing Bulls, Red Bull’s sister team) heading into the turn 5-6 chicane on his first flying lap. His car spun violently into the gravel trap, flipped into the catch fencing, and slammed into the barriers.
Despite the violent impact, Tsunoda was able to walk away unaided, though officials confirmed he was transported to the circuit’s medical centre for evaluation.
The session was red-flagged with 12 minutes remaining in Q1 to allow repairs to the track infrastructure, including a damaged light panel and tyre barrier. An FIA statement confirmed Tsunoda was receiving medical attention as a standard safety procedure.
In a separate incident just seconds before the end of Q1, Franco Colapinto, making his F1 debut with Alpine, crashed heavily at Tamburello. Fortunately, Colapinto quickly reassured his team via radio that he was unharmed.
Racing Bulls teammate Liam Lawson reacted in shock after seeing the footage of Tsunoda’s crash, saying, “Oh my god, I just saw the video.”
More updates on Tsunoda’s condition are expected following the medical checks, but early signs suggest he avoided serious injury in what could have been a much worse accident.