Lewis Hamilton will face a race against time to participate in qualifying for the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after he crashed out of final practice.
The seven-time world champion lost control of his Ferrari through turn nine at the Yas Marina Circuit.
He completed a 360-degree pirouette before crunching the barriers head-on and sustaining significant damage to the front of his Ferrari.
Hamilton was able to walk away from the accident, reporting on the radio: “Something buckled at the front and snapped the rear.”
He then apologised to his team – retrieving a damaged section of his front wing and putting it on top of his wrecked car – before heading back to the pit lane on the back of a moped.
The one-hour running was red-flagged for 13 minutes as Hamilton’s Ferrari was removed from the track.
With qualifying due to start at 18:00 local time (14:000 GMT), Hamilton’s mechanics will have less than three hours to repair his car.
Hamilton, 40, has endured a painful first season with Ferrari and is set to end the year without a single podium finish.
