Ricciardo and Albon Involved in First Lap Collision at Japanese Grand Prix; No Penalties Issued

The RB VCARB 01 of Daniel Ricciardo was removed from the track after he crashed during the race on April 7, 2024. The FIA stewards at the Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix decided not to take any further action regarding the incident that caused the premature end of Ricciardo and Alex Albon’s races. Although both drivers were uninjured, their collision led to a halt at the end of the first lap, resulting in a 30-minute delay before the race could continue. Albon, who started on soft tires, saw an opportunity to overtake Ricciardo while the Australian was engaged in a battle with Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll. However, Ricciardo did not notice the Williams car approaching from the right and pushed Albon onto the grass, causing a slight collision that sent them towards the barrier. Despite the incident, the stewards deemed it a “racing incident” and decided not to penalize either driver with a grid penalty for the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai. Race Control reviewed the explanations provided by both drivers and determined that their versions of the incident were consistent, classifying it as a typical first lap occurrence. The verdict stated that Ricciardo acknowledged Stroll’s presence to his left and intended to give him enough space while focusing on the apex of turn three, but he did not see Albon to his right. On the other hand, Albon believed he could overtake Ricciardo on the outside of turn three, but realized too late that Ricciardo had not seen him. He braked, but could not avoid the contact. Williams later confirmed that they sent Albon’s damaged chassis back to their base in Grove for repairs, ensuring it will be ready for the next race in China in two weeks.