SUZUKA, Japan — A careless collision between Daniel Ricciardo and Alex Albon on the opening lap of the Japanese Grand Prix prompted it to be suspended for half-hour.

Ricciardo had drifted large on the method to the Esses part of the Suzuka part and into the trail of Albon’s Williams, prompting contact which despatched each into the barrier.

Each drivers had been unharmed.

“He simply squeezed me, there was nowhere to go,” Albon stated on the group radio.

The race was red-flagged, which alerts each driver should instantly return to the pits, whereas the wreckage of each automobiles was cleared and whereas the crash barrier was repaired.

The incident will likely be reviewed by the FIA’s race stewards.

The crash occurred for a driver and a group who couldn’t afford one — Ricciardo’s sluggish begin to the season has ramped up stress on him to ship outcomes at Crimson Bull’s second group, whereas Albon’s Williams group won’t have a spare chassis till the Miami Grand Prix in the beginning of Might.

With the Chinese language Grand Prix nonetheless to come back in two weeks time it stays to be seen whether or not the incident will go away Williams racing with one automobile once more, because the group did in Melbourne.

Earlier than that, championship chief Max Verstappen had led away cleanly on the entrance on a circuit he’s seeking to return to profitable methods, after seeing Carlos Sainz and Ferrari win the Australian Grand Prix two weeks in the past.