BREAKING: F1 star’s car catches FIRE at Singapore Grand Prix… Read more
F1 Star Car Catches Fire At Singapore Grand Prix
Drama unfolded in the opening practice session of the Singapore Grand Prix as Alex Albon’s Williams car suddenly caught fire, forcing the Thai-British driver to cut short his run before completing a single timed lap. The frightening incident occurred in FP1 on the Marina Bay Street Circuit and brought a premature end to Albon’s session.
The problem began when smoke was seen pouring from the rear of Albon’s car as he made his way back into the pit lane. Within moments, flames erupted from the rear brakes, creating a dangerous scene. Williams mechanics were already on standby with fire extinguishers, but despite their quick reaction, the blaze proved stubborn, taking several minutes to fully contain. The pit lane was filled with thick smoke during the ordeal, with Albon himself visibly struggling as the fumes irritated his eyes.
Thankfully, Albon managed to climb out of the car safely. Standing to the side of the garage, the 29-year-old looked on while his mechanics wheeled the damaged car back inside for further inspection. Although shaken, he appeared unhurt, much to the relief of his team and fans.
Speaking live on Sky F1, pit-lane reporter Ted Kravitz described the seriousness of the situation as it unfolded. “Alex Albon’s car is on fire, he’s got a brake fire… something very, very serious has happened here because the brakes are still on fire,” Kravitz said. “He came in, the Williams guys were waiting with the extinguishers, they knew something was up, but they still couldn’t get this brake fire extinguished.”
Presenter Rachel Brookes also highlighted the discomfort Albon was experiencing as he tried to deal with the effects of the smoke. “We’re also seeing Alex sort of squinting a lot as well as the smoke’s getting into his eyes,” she noted.
The incident meant Albon was forced to sit out the rest of the first practice session while his rivals continued to log laps and adapt to the challenging street circuit. For Williams, it was a disappointing start to what was expected to be an important weekend of gathering data.
Later, Kravitz offered more details on the cause of the fire, quoting information from the Williams garage. The team attributed the blaze to a hardware issue with the rear brakes. He explained: “Williams say it was a hardware problem on the rear brakes. They had this with Carlos Sainz in Austria which meant he could not start the race. They don’t think it was a brake-by-wire failure, which would have prevented the rear axle from being slowed by the ERS system and led to the overheating.”
Despite the alarming visuals, Williams expressed confidence that the issue could be resolved in time for Albon to return for the second practice session (FP2). “Not a lot lost in terms of relevant track conditions but a lot lost in terms of getting your eye in on the circuit,” Kravitz added, acknowledging the setback in terms of preparation.
While the fire disrupted Albon’s start to the weekend, the fact that the problem was mechanical rather than a systems failure is seen as a positive sign for Williams. The team will now focus on ensuring the car is fully safe and reliable ahead of Saturday’s qualifying and Sunday’s race.
For Albon, who has been one of the standout performers in the Williams this season, the incident was an unfortunate interruption, but one he and the team will be eager to put behind them. With Singapore’s high demands on brakes and car cooling, Williams engineers will likely take additional precautions to prevent a repeat.
In the end, no one was harmed and the fire was contained, but the dramatic images of Albon’s smoking car in the pit lane served as an early reminder of just how unpredictable Formula 1 can be. The Williams driver will now hope that FP2 gives him the track time he missed, as he looks to bounce back and continue his strong campaign under the bright lights of Marina Bay.
About The Author
