WATCH: Williams rookie Franco Colapinto crashes into barriers at rain hit Interlagos in Sao Paulo quali

Williams’s rookie Franco Colapinto faced a challenging setback during a rain-soaked qualifying session at Interlagos in Sao Paulo, where he crashed into the barriers at Turn 3, bringing out a red flag. Despite the intense conditions, Colapinto appeared to be unharmed and moved inside his car shortly after the crash, though the incident caused a notable delay in the session.

The heavy rainfall had already prompted Formula 1 officials to begin the qualifying with all drivers on wet tyres, anticipating tricky conditions on the drenched track. The setup meant that all cars would be fueled to complete the full session, as teams were limited to only two sets of full wet tyres across qualifying and race day. As a result, the teams had to keep their drivers out on track, attempting continuous laps despite the slippery surface.

Here is the video:

VÍDEO: Batida de Franco Colapinto pic.twitter.com/sJ0Y9zcXm2

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Colapinto's incident unfolded quickly—a simple but costly mistake on the slick surface led to a spin that sent him sliding off the track and into the barriers. While the rookie emerged uninjured, the Williams team now faces the challenge of repairing the damage before the race.

A troubled start of Sao Paulo quali!

The red-flag pause caused by Colapinto's crash left 8 minutes and 50 seconds remaining in Q1. Colapinto’s misstep was not the only incident of the session, as heavy rainfall contributed to spins and brief yellow flags throughout. Notably, Red Bull’s Liam Lawson spun at Juncao, momentarily halting his car at the bottom of the hill before he regained control. A further yellow was seen when Lance Stroll veered off in Sector 3, yet managed to navigate through the muddy grass, avoiding further damage to his car.

Despite the interruptions, qualifying resumed with drivers trying to secure favourable positions amidst the tricky conditions. At the time of Colapinto's crash, Yuki Tsunoda topped the standings, followed by Charles Leclerc, Esteban Ocon, and Sergio Perez. The wet track conditions kept everyone on edge, with more potential incidents likely as qualifying proceeded under the unpredictable Sao Paulo skies.