Two violent accidents turn the Formula 1 qualifying session in Imola 2025 into a test of patience – both drivers escape the accidents uninjured
Long interruption already in Q1 of qualifying for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix: A violent accident involving Yuki Tsunoda in the Red Bull and then an equally hard crash by Alpine newcomer Franco Colapinto caused a long interruption to qualifying for the seventh Formula 1 race of 2025.
The qualifying session was interrupted after just seven minutes: Tsunoda lost control of his Red Bull RB21 in the Villeneuve chicane after hitting the kerb too aggressively on the approach to the corner. The left front wheel caught on the outer edge of the kerb, causing the car to be thrown into the tyre barrier and catch fence at an unusual angle, rolling over in the process.
The scene was inevitably reminiscent of Rubens Barrichello’s serious accident in 1994, which marked the beginning of the tragic weekend at Imola – even though the track layout is different today. More recently, with the current track layout, Yuji Ides’ rollover at the same spot in 2006 comes to mind.
Tsunoda was able to leave his car unaided, but the damaged catch fence and barrier had to be repaired at great expense. This led to an interruption of Q1.
Tsunoda frustrated: “I’m so stupid!”
The Japanese driver was hard on himself: “I’m so stupid to attack like that [on the first lap]! We had made some changes to the car. And then, without understanding enough about the [newly tuned] car, to attack like that was just unnecessary.”
“You don’t know [on the first flying lap after a setup change] how the car will react at different speeds. Especially in a corner like that, you have to feel your way from the bottom after such a drastic change. I thought I could control it. I’ve been in Formula 1 for five years and it’s been a long time since I had an accident in Q1, but it’s unacceptable.”
He describes the feeling as he stood next to the car as ”ashamed, disappointed, frustrated. I haven’t spoken to the team yet, but I can only apologize to them. I hope there isn’t too much damage, but I saw some major damage. So the mechanics will have their work cut out for them.”
Spare parts situation worsens
Tsunoda is under pressure: Since joining the Red Bull factory team in Suzuka as a replacement for the disappointing Liam Lawson, his cockpit alongside Max Verstappen has been considered one of the most thankless tasks in Formula 1. In four races since the change, Tsunoda has scored three World Championship points – teammate Verstappen scored 63 in the same period.
However, Tsunoda denies feeling pressure from the team: “The team supports me and takes as much pressure off my shoulders as possible. That has to be enough. I just tried to play the hero in Q1 unnecessarily. I wanted to get through Q1 with only one set of tires and, as I said, I had made numerous changes to the car.”
Helmut Marko initially strikes a conciliatory note on Sky: “Thank God he’s okay. He was in the medical center and will have to be examined again tomorrow. And then we’ll see if he’s cleared to race or not. That’s mainly because of the rollover.”
But there is also criticism: “It was his mistake. It’s a big setback for us because it’s now three races in a row. Monaco in particular doesn’t forgive you if you make a mistake. And the spare parts situation has become really critical as a result.” Whether a new chassis will have to be built is currently still being investigated.
Colapinto causes early end to Q1
Q1 then ran to the end, but as the clock had already run down to zero, the next accident occurred: Alpine rookie Franco Colapinto went off the track with two wheels on the grass in the fast Tamburello chicane at Turn 3. The A525 immediately spun out and crashed head-on into the TecPro barrier – another red flag.
Colapinto was also uninjured, but his accident caused another half-hour break as the barrier had to be repaired.
The Argentine, who is making his Formula 1 debut at Imola, is under particular scrutiny: he is replacing former reserve driver Jack Doohan in a controversial move and has only five races to prove himself worthy of a regular seat – despite Flavio Briatore publicly claiming otherwise. An accident on his debut is not a good sign.
Franco Colapinto suffers a big off as he makes his Formula 1 qualifying return F1 ImolaGP pic. twitter.com/sAEc1kGrcj
— Formula 1 (@F1) May 17, 2025
Colapinto was also penalized after the race for driving out too early during the interruption following Tsunoda’s accident due to a misunderstanding with the team. He will have to start one place further back on the grid in P15. George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli received the same penalty for the same offense in Bahrain.
“It’s just very difficult when you start from scratch,” said Colapinto in his initial reaction after the accident. ‘I’m six races behind everyone else. I’m still getting used to the car, the tires, and the balance.’ He added that the car was ‘very different’ from what he was used to.
First time at the limit – and beyond
The mistake was similar to Tsunoda’s: too much kerb on the inside. Unlike the Red Bull driver, however, the inside wheel did not catch, and instead the car was thrown to the outside, where it ended up in the grass.
“In qualifying, I really pushed the car to its limits for the first time,” the 21-year-old continued. ”I was always a little bit below, even on my first flying lap. It happens quickly that you then overdo it. I just pushed more to the limit because it’s very tight in qualifying. That’s why I tried to take more kerb. That was probably too much.”
He also apologized to the mechanics: “There’s going to be a lot of work in the garage tonight. I’m very sorry for the team—it’s not a nice way to start. But overall, I felt more comfortable in the car and a bit more connected to it.”
Colapinto also reiterated that he enjoys great support from the team: “I enjoy working with the guys. We’re all pulling in the same direction. I’m getting to know the car with every lap. I still have a lot to learn.”
The race on Sunday will be the first step: “I think tomorrow’s race should help me get to know a few factors that are a bit different from what I’m used to: tire wear, the engine, and many other things. It may look bad from the outside, but it’s not as bad as it seems as I get used to the car. I feel more comfortable than yesterday, and that makes me happy.”
