Yuki Tsunoda was forced to abandon a Red Bull Formula One car after it caught fire during a demonstration event in San Francisco.
The 25-year-old Japanese driver had been entertaining spectators with doughnuts on Marina Boulevard as part of the Red Bull Showrun when the incident occurred.
Tsunoda was piloting the RB7, the same model Sebastian Vettel drove to his 2011 World Championship victory.
The reserve and test driver had to quickly exit the vehicle after smoke began billowing from the rear.
Emergency crews subsequently tackled the blaze as thousands of fans looked on.
Video footage captured the moment smoke first appeared from the back of the car as Tsunoda reached the top of the circuit where supporters had gathered.
Despite the visible plumes, the driver continued spinning the vehicle in circles for approximately 30 seconds as conditions worsened.
Flames then became visible near the rear tyres, prompting alarmed spectators to call out for him to escape.
Yuki Tsunoda was forced to abandon a Red Bull Formula One car after it caught fire during a demonstration event in San Francisco on Saturday
|GETTY
As the fire intensified and smoke darkened, Tsunoda calmly climbed from the cockpit and walked away, waving fumes from his face.
Emergency personnel swiftly moved in to douse the flames before they could consume the historic machine entirely.
The car was left stranded on the road.
The San Francisco event marked Tsunoda’s return to an F1 cockpit.
Yuki Tsunoda had been entertaining spectators with doughnuts on Marina Boulevard
|GETTY
He departed a full-time racing role at the conclusion of the 2025 campaign.
Red Bull opted not to retain him as a race driver.
They instead appointed him to their reserve and testing programme for the upcoming season.
The Japanese racer, who previously competed for Alpha Tauri, has yet to stand on a Formula One podium throughout his career, accumulating 33 points during his final year as a full-time competitor.
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Prior to the incident, Tsunoda had expressed enthusiasm about the demonstration.
He said: “I can’t wait to get back behind the wheel of an F1 car and to do that in RB7 in San Francisco, it will be amazing.
“I’m really looking forward to getting out there, doing some donuts and making some real F1 noise in front of the crowds.”
The San Francisco showcase was the first of three promotional events Red Bull has scheduled ahead of the new campaign.
Phoenix will host the second demonstration in approximately one month, with Atlanta serving as the final venue several weeks thereafter.