F1 star jetted off from testing just 12 MINUTES after their car broke down

A Sky Sports F1 star has revealed a hilarious story that demonstrates exactly what happens when a driver's limit is reached by engine problems during F1 testing.

Pre-season testing for the upcoming 2026 championship concluded in Bahrain this week with Aston Martin making headlines for the nightmare that Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll have been forced to endure as the team struggle with their new Honda power unit.

As of 2026, F1 has carried out a complete overhaul of its chassis and power unit regulations, with the upcoming campaign set to see a complete reshuffle of the competitive order.

Adrian Newey's squad stole the limelight for all the wrong reasons after finishing the final day of testing with just six laps under their belt, but the pecking order remains unclear as Mercedes, who were previously tipped to have mastered the new regulations, also displayed cracks in their reliability.

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When F1 testing all gets a bit too much

During Friday's afternoon testing session in Bahrain, ex-F1 driver Anthony Davidson discussed Mercedes' morning issue that saw Kimi Antonelli stop on track in his new W17.

Davidson and testing co-commentator David Croft discussed what drivers do when they are no longer needed at testing, as was the case with Antonelli and Stroll on Friday.

Croft pondered: "Does the driver just go home when they’ve completed everything? Think, right that’s it, I’ve done the testing now, hop on a plane, go home, spend the weekend with family and friends?"

Davidson, who competed in F1 himself between 2002 and 2008, then recalled a rumour that when Ralf Schumacher’s Toyota broke down in testing over a decade ago, he boarded his jet and took off almost immediately.

"I think it depends on the driver Crofty," the former Super Aguri driver responded, before telling a hilarious anecdote.

"Back in the day of Toyota F1 test at Paul Ricard, I’ve only heard this through rumour in the paddock that, see how they’ve got the runway next to the circuit, apparently the car broke, Ralf Schumacher was driving it, car failed and the mechanics timed it… 12 minutes it took before the plane took off."

“It might not be 12 but that’s the rumour I’ve heard, that’s the story I’ve heard,” Davidson added.

“Out of the overalls, into the civvies, on the private jet, 12 minutes later, in the sky. And that’s what I think of the engine,” the former F1 driver joked, with Crofty adding: "Who says he wasn’t wearing his overalls on the plane quite frankly."

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