VIDEO: Red flags, race abandoned! Watch Carlos Sainz crash after the start of the Japanese Grand Prix

Drama at the start of the Japanese Grand Prix. Formula One is holding its 18th race of the season at Suzuka, Japan, on Sunday 9 October, but two drivers have already retired from the race after the start. The first is Williams driver Alexander Albon, who was knocked out by machinery, and the second is Carlos Sainz, who crashed his Ferrari in the opening corners.

The start of the Japanese Grand Prix, the eighteenth round of the Formula One season, was marked by heavy rain and poor racing conditions.

And it was the wet track that saw several drivers suffer after the start, with Sebastian Vettel ending up in a duck after contact with Fernando Alonso, followed by a spin from Kuan-yu Zhou. Although no accident resulted from this.

The same could not be said for Spain’s Sainz, who encountered aquaplaning before turn 12 and hit the barrier hard. You can watch his accident in the video below.

For Sainz, the Japanese Grand Prix has come to an early end. Yellow flags were immediately waved on the track, with the race directors resorting to a safety car exit.

Shortly after all five lights went out, however, Albon in the Williams also retired, having been knocked out of the eighteenth race of the season by machinery.

However, the FIA resorted to red flags at the end of the second lap and the Japanese Grand Prix is currently suspended.

Notably, Max Verstappen held the lead after starting from first place ahead of Charles Leclerc. Sergio Pérez is third, Esteban Ocon is fourth, Lewis Hamilton is fifth, Alonso is sixth, George Russell is seventh, Daniel Ricciardo is eighth, Yuki Cunoda is ninth and Mick Schumacher rounds out the elite ten.

All drivers, it should be added, started the Japanese Grand Prix on intermediate tyres. However, due to the safety car exit and wet conditions, they all had to change to extreme rain specification tyres.

Source: F1 TV