The top six most dramatic crashes from F1 2025

The 2025 F1 season will be remembered for more than just the drivers' championship fight between Lando Norris, Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri.

It was a year punctuated by some massive accidents that underlined how unforgiving motorsport remains, even in an era of extraordinary safety.

From rookies pushing too hard too soon to seasoned contenders making rare, costly mistakes, these crashes shaped weekends and tested teams’ resilience.

While every driver walked away, each incident told a different story about pressure, visibility, judgement and the razor-thin margins that define modern F1. Here are the six most dramatic crashes of the campaign.

1. Gabriel Bortoleto - São Paulo Grand Prix (sprint)

Gabriel Bortoleto’s home race weekend turned into a nightmare during the São Paulo sprint when the Stake rookie launched a late dive into Turn 1 on the final lap.

With cold tyres and little margin for error, the move ended in a colossal 57g impact with the barriers, with his steering column also appearing to come loose.

The crowd fell silent as debris scattered across the track, but thankfully, Bortoleto emerged unhurt.

2. Yuki Tsunoda - Emilia Romagna Grand Prix (qualifying)

The most visually dramatic crash of 2025 came in Imola qualifying. Yuki Tsunoda attacked the Villeneuve chicane too hard, clouting the kerb and losing the rear of his Red Bull at high speed.

The car speared into the gravel, struck the barriers and flipped violently before landing back on its wheels. It was a heart-stopping reminder of how quickly things unravel at Imola.

Tsunoda walked away unharmed, later branding it "a stupid mistake" as he continued adapting to Red Bull machinery. His RB21, however, was left comprehensively destroyed.

3. Jack Doohan - Japanese Grand Prix (FP2)

Suzuka punished Jack Doohan brutally when a small procedural error had massive consequences.

During practice, the Alpine rookie failed to manually close his DRS before Turn 1 – a unique requirement at the Japanese circuit.

Approaching at nearly 160mph, Doohan had no chance of slowing the car, slamming heavily into the barriers and registering a 50g impact.

4. Lando Norris - Saudi Arabian Grand Prix (qualifying)

Lando Norris’ mistake in Saudi Arabia had the potential to carry heavy title implications. In Q3, while fighting for pole, Norris applied the throttle too aggressively at Turn 5.

His McLaren snapped sideways over the kerb and slammed into the concrete wall. The radio message that followed – calling himself an "idiot" – captured the moment.

Left 10th on the grid while rivals started at the front, Norris admitted he had let himself and the team down. In a tight championship fight, the error could have proven hugely costly.

5. Isack Hadjar and Kimi Antonelli - British Grand Prix

Silverstone’s torrential rain produced one of the season’s most serious collisions.

Isack Hadjar was struggling with near-zero visibility as spray engulfed the circuit. Approaching Turn 9, Kimi Antonelli suddenly appeared ahead after slowing for conditions, leaving Hadjar no time to react.

The Racing Bulls car spun heavily into the barriers, while Antonelli suffered diffuser damage. Stewards took no action, concluding both drivers were effectively passengers in impossible conditions.

6. Oliver Bearman - Australian Grand Prix (FP1)

The first crash of the 2025 season belonged to Oliver Bearman, and it set the tone for a difficult weekend.

During FP1 in Melbourne, the Haas rookie attacked the Turn 9/10 chicane too aggressively, bouncing over the kerb and sliding helplessly into the wall.

The impact caused major gearbox and power unit damage, leaving Bearman with just 13 practice laps all weekend. Further issues followed, including a spin and a no-show in qualifying. "It’s been a messy weekend," he admitted, apologising to the team as his learning curve steepened.

Honourable mention: Franco Colapinto - Emilia Romagna Grand Prix (qualifying)

Franco Colapinto’s Imola weekend, his first in place of Doohan, unravelled quickly in qualifying. Fighting to escape Q1, the Alpine driver ran wide at Turn 3 and clipped the grass, spinning into the barriers.

Although the damage was limited, matters worsened when a red-flag pit lane infringement earned him a one-place grid penalty.

Coming on the same weekend as Tsunoda’s dramatic rollover, Colapinto’s crash added to an already chaotic Imola qualifying session and underlined Alpine’s struggles at the time.