Purple Bull reserve driver Yuki Tsunoda was compelled to make a fast escape after an F1 automotive caught hearth throughout an indication run in San Francisco in entrance of horrified spectators
Purple Bull reserve driver Yuki Tsunoda was compelled to make a swift exit after an F1 automotive burst into flames throughout an indication run in San Francisco.
Having misplaced his place as Purple Bull’s second driver to Isaak Hadjar on the conclusion of final season, Tsunoda is serving because the workforce’s third-choice in F1 2026. The Japanese driver battled alongside Max Verstappen following his promotion to a Purple Bull seat after two races of the 2025 marketing campaign, accumulating simply 33 factors throughout his 22 appearances on the grid.
However on Saturday, Tsunoda, who participated in final week’s pre-season testing in Bahrain with Purple Bull, climbed again into the cockpit of an F1 automotive for the primary time for the reason that last race of final season in Abu Dhabi. The 25-year-old took half in an indication run in San Francisco.
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Nevertheless, Tsunoda needed to leap out of his car in fast succession after his automotive – the RB7 piloted by Sebastian Vettel throughout his second F1 championship triumph in 2011 – ignited.
Clips on social media revealed smoke billowing from the again of the Purple Bull after Tsunoda spun the automotive close to followers. And with flames rising, alarmed onlookers on the fringe of the circuit may very well be heard urging the previous AlphaTauri and Racing Bulls driver to „get out“ of the automotive.
Tsunoda then launched his seat belts and rose to his ft earlier than glancing on the hearth and exiting the automotive as emergency automobiles raced over to succeed in the scene. While the incident would undoubtedly have been irritating for Tsunoda, followers in San Francisco may very well be heard chanting, „Yuki, Yuki, Yuki, Yuki“ as they rallied collectively to help the Purple Bull reserve driver on his return to an F1 automotive.
The Purple Bull automotive burst into flames
Tsunoda has competed in 111 F1 races since making his debut for AlphaTauri in 2021. Throughout that interval, he has gathered 124 factors throughout 5 seasons, along with his finest end within the Drivers‘ Standings coming in 2024 when he positioned twelfth while driving for Racing Bulls.
Though Tsunoda can also be Racing Bulls‘ reserve driver in 2026, he’s aiming for a return to a full-time seat for the 2027 season.
Talking after lacking out on the Purple Bull second seat in December, Tsunoda stated: „Clearly, I used to be disenchanted. It is powerful.
„On the identical time, I am not absolutely recognising or absolutely feeling it but that I am not racing subsequent yr. It is shocking that I used to be type of okay the following morning – I used to be occupied with Abu Dhabi. It is not ideally suited.
„What I’ve bought to do right here is precisely the identical, what I used to be making an attempt to do in Qatar. It is to be aggressive as a lot as attainable and ideally assist Max [Verstappen] and end as excessive as attainable for myself and the workforce.“
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