DeFodi ImagesGetty Images
Mick Schumacher, who crashed hard into an unprotected wall during the second round of qualifying at the Jeddah street circuit earlier today, will miss tomorrow’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Rather than re-building the car overnight and entering it with a reserve driver, Schumacher’s Haas F1 team will field only one car in the race.
The team did not list a specific injury. Schumacher was conscious after the crash and said to be “physically in good condition” when he was airlifted to a nearby hospital, standard procedure after such a significant hit.
Clive MasonGetty Images
The crash happened in the second round of today’s qualifying session. Schumacher lost control while passing over the kerbing in a section of high-speed esses, causing his car to spin into the awkward convex angle of the opposite corner’s inside wall. The car hit hard on a bare concrete wall with no energy absorption materials whatsoever, leading the entire rear axle to break off.
Drivers have been worried about the safety of the new Jeddah street circuit since it was announced. Max Verstappen, last year’s series champion, has been outspoken on the track’s safety concerns since April of last year, months before the track had even been completed. Drivers in other series, like part-time IndyCar racer Stefan Wilson, have also shared their concerns about the track’s design. Minor changes were made between December’s debut race and this weekend, but these fears are clearly not alleviated. Nonetheless, Formula 1 races here tomorrow evening, one car short of a full grid.
This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io
