Ferrari finds cause of Vettel’s F1 testing crash

Ferrari says Sebastian Vettel’s crash during the second Formula 1 pre-season test was caused by a wheel rim issue following impact with “a foreign object”. 

On the morning of the second day of the second winter test in Barcelona, Vettel veered straight across the gravel and into the barriers as he entered the fast right hander at Turn 3. 

The impact caused significant damage to the front-left of Vettel’s SF90 and curtailed Ferrari’s afternoon running as Charles Leclerc only appeared for a brief installation lap in the closing stages of the day. 

Following an investigation into the incident, Ferrari has confirmed that an impact with debris resulted in a wheel rim issue that ultimately led to Vettel's crash. 

"After thorough checks we found that Seb’s off yesterday was due to a (wheel) rim issue,” a Ferrari statement read. 

“The rim had been damaged a few seconds before by an impact with a foreign object.”

Vettel, who emerged from the accident unscathed, said there was nothing he could have done to have prevented the crash.