Alex Albon crashed into British teenager Oliver Bearman in first apply on the Mexico Grand Prix as George Russell set the early tempo.
The Williams driver misplaced management of his automotive as Bearman slowed on the surface to permit him to go by into flip 10, understeering into the entrance wheel of the Ferrari at excessive pace earlier than spinning into the boundaries.
Albon rapidly blamed Bearman for the bizarre apply incident, labelling the 19-year-old an “fool” over the group radio.
Bearman, who has competed in two races this season for Ferrari and Haas, was taken out of the session as Albon was pushed away by the medical automotive.
RED FLAG! 🚨
Contact between Alex Albon and Ollie Bearman with each drivers okay and out of their vehicles 🟥
Bearman was one in all 5 rookies participating within the opening apply session on the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, with title hopeful Lando Norris handing his McLaren over to Mexican driver Pato O’Ward.
Norris, who trails Max Verstappen by 57 factors within the championship standings, watched on from the McLaren storage as O’Ward posted the Thirteenth-fastest time whereas team-mate Oscar Piastri was solely sixth.
Verstappen mentioned over the radio because the session drew to a detailed that “there’s something fallacious with the engine” because the Dutchman posted the fourth-fastest time.
Crimson Bull confirmed that they have been investigating a “energy unit problem”. Verstappen would incur a penalty if he has to take a brand new one.
Workforce principal Christian Horner mentioned after the session that it was a “menial” problem which they hoped had been mounted.
He was over eight-tenths adrift of Mercedes pace-setter Russell, with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz second forward of RB’s Yuki Tsunoda.
Residence favorite Sergio Pérez, who admitted on Thursday that he has had a “horrible season”, may handle solely tenth within the second Crimson Bull.
Italian teenager Kimi Antonelli – who will change Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes subsequent yr – crashed out solely 10 minutes into his Method One debut in apply on the Italian Grand Prix in August.
Issues didn’t begin off significantly better right here, as Antonelli stepped into the seven-time world champion’s automotive once more, when he drove over a bit of particles 5 minutes in and the session was red-flagged.
Antonelli did handle to finish 18 laps on this event and completed twelfth within the standings.
