Yuki Tsunoda escapes as Red Bull RB7 goes up in flames in San Francisco. During a Red Bull showrun in San Francisco, Yuki Tsunoda had to abandon the 2011 RB7 after a fire broke out.

During a special demonstration along the streets of San Francisco, the Red Bull RB7, driven by Yuki Tsunoda, caught fire, causing a dramatic interruption to the event.

Red Bull in flames in San Francisco

A small but alarming incident occurred for Yuki Tsunoda during the Red Bull Showrun in San Francisco, which took place late in the evening local time. The Japanese driver, while performing some donuts in the RB7 along Marina Boulevard, had to abruptly stop the demonstration due to a technical problem.

The RB7, the 2011 car that helped Sebastian Vettel secure the 2011 World Championship, developed the beginnings of a fire, forcing Yuki Tsunoda to exit the cockpit immediately. Safety personnel quickly intervened to contain the situation.

The video

Fans captured the dramatic moment as the Red Bull RB7 went up in flames along the streets of San Francisco.

Omg yukiiii pic.twitter.com/FV50rImPLP

— Bells (@bewojello) February 22, 2026

Tsunoda’s Formula 1 career and the Red Bull second driver curse

After five consecutive years as a full-time driver in Formula 1, Yuki Tsunoda was sidelined by Red Bull. Last year, he had the opportunity to drive alongside Max Verstappen, but he was unable to match the performance of his team leader, confirming what many refer to as the “second driver curse” at Red Bull. Historically, second drivers for the Milton Keynes-based team have struggled to keep pace with the outright superstar in the team.