During the final phase of the first free practice session in Japan, Alexander Albon and Sergio Perez made contact after the Mexican driver, on a flying lap, did not see the Thai driver of the Williams approaching.
At the end of the session, both drivers were called to the race director’s office to discuss the incident with the stewards. After hearing their statements, speaking with the respective team representatives, and reviewing video footage, radio communications, and onboard recordings, the stewards reached a conclusion.
Perez, in car number 11, explained that he was completing a flying lap and preparing to start another. He had seen car number 23 at a certain distance behind him as he exited Turn 14, but the Williams then closed the gap significantly before reaching the next corner.
Alex Albon attempted to overtake Perez on the inside before the collision occurred. When asked about the incident, Sergio Perez stated that he had not seen Alex Albon’s car and had not received any warning from his team, which was confirmed by the radio communications.
The team explained that they had assumed car 23 would remain behind car 11 and did not realize how much the Williams had closed in. The collision was therefore the result of a misunderstanding, compounded by the lack of communication from the Cadillac team to their driver.
Both drivers acknowledged that neither was fully or predominantly responsible for the incident. The stewards therefore decided not to take any further action.
In summary, the incident was a byproduct of a communication breakdown rather than erratic driving. Based on the content of the stewards’ report, Sergio Perez and Alex Albon are cleared to continue their Japanese GP campaigns without penalty.
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