Yuki Tsunoda’s F1 car engulfed in flames during Red Bull demo run, watch video

Red Bull test and reserve driver Yuki Tsunoda recently made his first track appearance during a Red Bull showrun in San Francisco, but his run ended abruptly when his F1 car burst into flames. The Japanese driver noticed smoke and flames coming from the car as fans began shouting from the stands before he quickly jumped out. The flames grew even higher as safety crews rushed in to control the situation. Fortunately, he wasn't harmed during the incident.

Yuki Tsunoda escapes as F1 car catches fire at Red Bull showrun

A video of the incident was shared by a news outlet on social media. It shows Yuki Tsunoda pulling over as smoke surrounds his 2011-spec car. He was unharmed, managing to exit just in time before thick smoke completely engulfed the car.

The incident took place at San Francisco’s waterfront, where Red Bull and its engine partner Ford staged a promotional event for fans. Photos and videos from the event were shared on Red Bull’s official social media pages, but the fire incident was not highlighted by the team.

Yuki Tsunoda loses race seat at Red Bull

Yuki Tsunoda was promoted from Racing Bulls to Red Bull as a replacement for former driver Liam Lawson due to performance issues. However, Tsunoda also struggled to meet expectations and was replaced by Racing Bulls driver Isack Hadjar for the 2026 season. Tsunoda now serves as Red Bull’s test and reserve driver and will be working behind the scenes with the team.

In a heartfelt note following the season finale in Abu Dhabi, Tsunoda bid farewell to active racing on Instagram. He wrote, “I’m not finished yet. Finding out I won’t have a race seat in 2026 was incredibly tough, but I’m determined to work harder than ever with Red Bull as test and reserve driver to develop with the team and prove I deserve a place on the grid. Life’s full of setbacks, and this is mine. It’s not going to deter me from being the best F1 driver I can be.”

His teammate Max Verstappen, along with several other F1 drivers, showed their support by liking the post and leaving encouraging comments.

Earlier this year, Tsunoda also shared an update about his upcoming book: “Work in progress. February 20, 2026, my personal book will be released! And this time, @sascha348 served as total advisor. It includes many things, including conversations you don’t usually hear and aspects you haven’t seen before. Please look forward to it!” He is yet to provide further updates about the release.

Also read: Max Verstappen spoils Kelly Piquet with romantic Valentine’s Day celebration in Florence


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