In a dramatic twist to the Mexican GP qualifying session, Yuki Tsunoda brought the second round to an abrupt halt as he crashed into the barriers at the Mexico City Grand Prix. With mere moments left on the Q2 clock, the VCARB driver lost control while pushing hard for a faster lap, resulting in a heavy collision that sent shockwaves through the pit lane.
As the session neared its close, Tsunoda was racing to improve his time and secure a stronger starting position for Sunday’s race. However, things took a sudden turn at Turn 12, where he suffered a severe lock-up under braking. This costly error caused his car to veer off the ideal line, sending him speeding towards the barriers. The impact left the VCARB heavily damaged, forcing the marshals to wave the red flags as officials scrambled to clear the wreckage.
Here is the video:
Once the car came to a complete stop, Tsunoda confirmed over the team radio that he was unhurt, much to the relief of his team and fans alike. Despite his disappointment, he took a moment to apologize, acknowledging the incident that would prevent him from progressing into Q3. Tsunoda’s elimination in P11 meant that his teammate, Liam Lawson, who had been set to improve his time, was also knocked out, leaving him in P12.
Can VCARB recover from qualifying damage?
The accident was a huge setback for VCARB, which had been optimistic about advancing both cars to the final round of qualifying. The early end of Q2 left many drivers frustrated, but Yuki Tsunoda’s reassurance over his safety brought a sense of relief amid the tension.
Tsunoda’s crash underscores the unpredictable nature of high-speed racing and how one miscalculation can quickly shift the narrative in motorsports. As he and VCARB assess the damage and regroup, fans can only hope to see a resilient Tsunoda return to the track with a renewed focus on race day.