Williams team principal James Vowles has said the health of Franco Colapinto is “the priority” of the team, after a huge 50G crash in qualifying in Las Vegas.

Colapinto collided with the inside wall at the left-hander of Turn 16 while on a flying lap in Q2, looking to extract as much as possible while looking to get into Q3.

Franco Colapinto update from James Vowles after huge 50G crash in Las Vegas

The Williams driver was completing a qualifying lap around the Las Vegas Strip Circuit and navigating the left-right-left section at the end of the huge straight that traverses the Las Vegas Strip itself, when he hit the inside wall at the second of the left-handers.

This sent him to the outside wall afterwards, with a huge amount of damage having been sustained to his Williams one race after the team put both cars back together after five crashes between both drivers in Brazil.

The medical car was deployed with the crash registering at over 50G – when, for context, an emergency stop in an average road car measures around 1G – and Colapinto was taken to the FIA medical centre for checks.

Williams released a statement to confirm they would assess his fitness to race before allowing him to enter the Las Vegas Grand Prix on Saturday night, due to the enormity of the impact.

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He had walked away from the car initially, but team principal Vowles said the team will be putting his wellbeing at the forefront of their thinking before a decision is made.

“As everyone will be aware, Franco had a very large accident in Q2 whilst on a very good lap,” Vowles said in a video released on Williams’ social media channels.

“The accident was over 50G, which in any world is serious. He went to the medical centre and he’s been released from the medical centre, and he’s back at his hotel now, resting overnight.

“He’ll be assessed tomorrow and determined whether or not he is clear to race. In the meantime, his car behind us is being repaired, the chassis is being changed, and we’ll make sure it is ready should Franco be fit to race tomorrow.

“What I will say is this: His health, above all else, is the priority. Carbon fibre can be repaired, metal and cars can be remade, but individuals’ health can’t in that circumstance.

“We’ll come back to you tomorrow when there’s more news. For now, we’ve got a lot of work to do overnight.”

Should he be fit to race, Colapinto will be due to start 14th on the grid for the Las Vegas Grand Prix on Saturday night.

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