Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel will play no part in Sunday’s 2016 Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix after suffering an apparent engine failure on the formation lap in Sakhir.
Vettel, who was third on the grid behind the two Mercedes, got away cleanly. However, puffs of smoke began to appear from the rear of his car partway round the lap.
Those puffs quickly turned to a huge plume and the German was forced to park his machine between Turns 13 and 14.
It is the first DNS (did not start) of Vettel’s Formula One career.
Renault's Jolyon Palmer, 19th on the grid, also failed to take the start after pulling into the pits at the end of the formation lap with technical problems.
Follow the race live here.
WATCH: Disaster for Vettel before the race start in Bahrain
Next Up
Related Articles
UnlockedRaikkonen’s sensational last-lap win from P17 at Suzuka
The family tree of F1's 10 teams and how they came to be
Colapinto crashes during Pirelli tyre test in Hungary
Unlocked5 US-based drivers Cadillac should consider
Getting to know the real Ollie Bearman
Antonelli pleased with point after ‘tough’ Hungarian GP