Red Bull car catches fire at F1 fan event as worried crowd warn driver
Red Bull reserve driver Yuki Tsunoda was forced to make a quick escape after an F1 car caught fire during a demonstration run in San Francisco in front of horrified spectators
Red Bull reserve driver Yuki Tsunoda was forced to make a swift exit after an F1 car burst into flames during a demonstration run in San Francisco.
Having lost his position as Red Bull’s second driver to Isaak Hadjar at the conclusion of last season, Tsunoda is serving as the team’s third-choice in F1 2026. The Japanese driver battled alongside Max Verstappen following his promotion to a Red Bull seat after two races of the 2025 campaign, accumulating just 33 points across his 22 appearances on the grid.
But on Saturday, Tsunoda, who participated in last week’s pre-season testing in Bahrain with Red Bull, climbed back into the cockpit of an F1 car for the first time since the final race of last season in Abu Dhabi. The 25-year-old took part in a demonstration run in San Francisco.
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However, Tsunoda had to leap out of his vehicle in quick succession after his car – the RB7 piloted by Sebastian Vettel during his second F1 championship triumph in 2011 – ignited.
Clips on social media revealed smoke billowing from the back of the Red Bull after Tsunoda spun the car near fans. And with flames emerging, alarmed onlookers at the edge of the circuit could be heard urging the former AlphaTauri and Racing Bulls driver to “get out” of the car.
Tsunoda then released his seat belts and rose to his feet before glancing at the fire and exiting the car as emergency vehicles raced over to reach the scene. Whilst the incident would undoubtedly have been frustrating for Tsunoda, fans in San Francisco could be heard chanting, “Yuki, Yuki, Yuki, Yuki” as they rallied together to support the Red Bull reserve driver on his return to an F1 car.
Tsunoda has competed in 111 F1 races since making his debut for AlphaTauri in 2021. During that period, he has accumulated 124 points across five seasons, with his best finish in the Drivers’ Standings coming in 2024 when he placed 12th whilst driving for Racing Bulls.
Although Tsunoda is also Racing Bulls’ reserve driver in 2026, he is aiming for a return to a full-time seat for the 2027 season.
Speaking after missing out on the Red Bull second seat in December, Tsunoda said: “Obviously, I was disappointed. It’s tough.
“At the same time, I’m not fully recognising or fully feeling it yet that I’m not racing next year. It’s surprising that I was kind of okay the next morning – I was thinking about Abu Dhabi. It’s not ideal.
“What I’ve got to do here is exactly the same, what I was trying to do in Qatar. It’s to be competitive as much as possible and ideally help Max [Verstappen] and finish as high as possible for myself and the team.”
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