suffered a terrifying qualifying crash at the , flipping after contact with the barriers. The shunt destroyed the Japanese racer's RB21 machine and ended his involvement on Saturday. The 24-year-old ran over the inside kerb on a flying lap, causing him to lose control. Tsunoda's car then skidded sideways across the gravel trap and into the barriers.

Upon contact with the wall, the Red Bull car flipped over, completing a full rotation in the air before landing the right way up in the gravel track. The crash triggered a red flag from race control, and Tsunoda was taken to the medical centre, given the extreme G-forces produced by the contact. His Red Bull machine was wrecked, leaving the engineers with a lengthy rebuild job to prepare for Sunday's Grand Prix.

The Japanese racer's scary crash comes after 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve questioned his future with the Milton Keynes squad. In four race weekends with Red Bull, Tsunoda is yet to finish higher than ninth.

In the Racing Bulls squad, Isack Hadjar is turning heads with his performances, and the young Frenchman has been touted as a potential replacement for Tsunoda further down the line.

"[He is doing] very well," Villeneuve told Sky Sports F1 ahead of qualifying in Imola. "Because Melbourne could have been, psychologically, a very tough moment, and he just stood straight and carried on - didn't get too affected the following race.

"But he seems to be able to work with the team. He seems to understand the car, to put it in a window that allows him to drive well. Because he seems to be out-driving that car. And why? Because he gets that set-up that makes it just more comfortable for him. He can be aggressive. And if I was Tsunoda, I would be worried right now."

Explaining his assessment of Tsunoda's future, Villeneuve added: "Remember, Tsuonda was only ever there because of Honda. And they didn't put him in the main car last year because they don't want Tsunoda.

"But they didn't have a choice when Lawson wasn't up to scratch. And they're afraid that Hadjar is just too young, not ready, let's not burn him. But he's showing now that he might be ready."