Williams has confirmed that Alex Albon will not participate in the Sao Paulo Grand Prix after a serious crash in Q3 of the wet qualifying session in Brazil. The crash marked a second setback for the Grove Outfit, as interim driver Franco Colapinto also crashed in Q1.

Albon’s crash was the most serious incident in qualifying. With just four minutes remaining in the top-10 shootout, the Williams driver, who was second on the timesheet, lost control while approaching Turn 1 at high speed, causing him to hit the edge of the track. This caused him to crash off the Interlagos circuit and into a barrier, severely damaging the rear of his car.

Williams team principal James Vowles told Sky F1 during the broadcast:

“It’s a heartbreaking day for the team.

“We are here to race and no one wants to be in this situation. The key point is that all drivers who had incidents in qualifying are fine, including Alex and Franco.

Despite the best efforts of our hardworking, talented and resilient team, there simply wasn’t enough time to repair Alex’s car in time for the Grand Prix.

“It’s a bitter pill to swallow at the end of a tough triple-header, especially when both drivers showed tremendous pace this morning.

“We will focus on maximizing this afternoon with Franco and putting on a show for the incredible fans here in Brazil.”

The team also posted the following update:

“During qualifying earlier this morning, ahead of the São Paulo Grand Prix, Williams Racing suffered significant accident damage to both cars following incidents in poor weather conditions.

Unfortunately, after assessing the extensive damage to Alex Albon’s car, the required repairs could not be completed in the short space of time between qualifying and the race. The team is therefore forced to withdraw Alex’s car for the remainder of the Grand Prix.

“Franco Colapinto will take part in the Grand Prix this afternoon.”

Albon and Colapinto’s crashes were among several incidents that raised red flags during a challenging qualifying session in Brazil, where tricky conditions prompted a reshuffle. Struggling for traction, several drivers encountered difficulties, including Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, whose second-quarter crash compounded the disruptions with another red flag.

The qualifying session proved disastrous for Aston Martin, with both AMR24s retired. Fernando Alonso lost control and crashed into the barriers in Q3 as he pushed for pole. Earlier, teammate Lance Stroll’s exit in Q2 raised red flags, disrupting Max Verstappen’s lap and ultimately eliminating him. Verstappen’s qualifying problems, combined with a five-place grid penalty for a Virtual Safety Car violation in the São Paulo sprint, will see him start from P17. However, Verstappen seemed frustrated with the delay in issuing the red flags.