Daniel Ricciardo’s RB VCARB 01 was taken off the track after he crashed during the race on April 7, 2024. The FIA stewards at the Japanese Grand Prix of Formula 1 decided not to take any further action regarding the incident that caused both Ricciardo and Alex Albon’s races to end prematurely. Although both drivers were unharmed, their collision led to a stoppage 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 pass Ricciardo while the Australian was engaged in a battle with Lance Stroll from Aston Martin. However, Ricciardo failed to notice the approaching Williams car on his right and squeezed Albon onto the grass, causing a minor collision that sent them both towards the barrier. Despite the incident, the stewards deemed it a “racing incident” and decided against penalizing either driver with a grid drop for the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai. Race Control reviewed the explanations provided by both drivers and determined that their accounts of the incident were consistent, categorizing it as a typical occurrence on the first lap. The verdict stated that Ricciardo acknowledged the presence of Stroll on his left and intended to give him enough space while focusing on the apex of turn three, but he did not see Albon on 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 applied the brakes but was unable to avoid the contact. Williams later confirmed that they have sent Albon’s damaged chassis back to their Grove base for repairs, ensuring it will be ready for the next race in China in two weeks’ time.
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