F1 driver suffers bizarre crash after suspension explosion

Sebastien Buemi experienced one of Formula 1's most alarming mechanical failures during first practice for the 2010 Chinese Grand Prix when both front wheels detached from his Toro Rosso at over 200 mph.

The incident occurred as the Swiss driver approached the Turn 14 hairpin at the end of Shanghai International Circuit's 1.1-kilometre back straight. 

Under heavy braking, the front-right upright, a newly designed lightweight component introduced specifically for that weekend, failed catastrophically. 

Once the right upright broke, the entire braking load transferred instantly to the left-front upright, which immediately failed under the excessive stress, causing both front wheels to separate simultaneously.

Toro Rosso had developed the new uprights to reduce weight and improve performance, but the components lacked sufficient structural integrity for the extreme forces generated during heavy braking combined with maximum aerodynamic load. 

The Shanghai circuit, constructed on reclaimed marshland using expanding foam foundation, featured surface irregularities including a reported bump in the braking zone, which may have contributed to the failure.

The wheel tethers designed to prevent such detachments proved ineffective as they were attached to the section of the uprights that broke away. 

Buemi's car ploughed into the gravel trap and barrier, though he walked away uninjured thanks to the generous run-off area at that section of the circuit.

Race director Charlie Whiting stopped the session to allow marshals to clear the debris. Toro Rosso immediately reverted to their previously proven upright designs for the remainder of the weekend.

See the dramatic incident below!

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