Yuki Tsunoda says he didn’t deserve the “ridiculous” 10-place grid penalty issued for overtaking under red flag conditions in FP3 at the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix.
The Red Bull driver was handed the penalty after he passed Oscar Piastri’s stricken McLaren on the back straight during the final practice session at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
The championship leader brushed the rear-right of his MCL39 across the Wall of Champions just before the halfway mark. The resultant debris caused a stoppage.
“In my opinion, I’m not really sure I deserve that penalty,” he told media including Motorsport Week.
While the regulations dictate that no driver is allowed to make a passing maneuver under red flag conditions, Tsunoda believes that the circumstances absolved him of any culpability.
“I don’t know what they want me to do. Because Oscar having massive damage, spreading debris all over the place from the last corner to the end of the lap,” he explained.
“He was driving 80kph on the back straight, far left, which he did a good job to avoid collisions with other drivers.
“Obviously I saw that and I understand that under the red flag you can’t overtake but being stuck or waiting for Oscar to pit, behind the damaged car is just waiting for debris to hit me.”
The official verdict from the stewards suggested that they found no mitigating circumstances to let Tsunoda off the hook.
On the contrary, though, the Japanese racing ace was adamant that his move was within the realms of reasonableness, terming the penalty as “ridiculous”.
“I went far right and I checked for the car ahead of Oscar and the car behind myself and made sure there isn’t anyone and I overtook with a sensible speed which was 170kph, half the speed at which we normally drive and I got a penalty,” he asserted.
“So, 10 places, it’s ridiculous. Especially the car having damage and driving so slow, I don’t think I deserve this.”
Tsunoda’s disrupted weekend in Canada
Tsunoda once again never looked at ease in the RB21 compared to Max Verstappen, going out in Q2 with the 11th quickest time while his team-mate took second place.
His 10-place grid penalty means he will start last for the second consecutive time this season, having also started with no other cars behind him at the Spanish Grand Prix.
“I don’t normally start like this in P20 that often, last two years especially so, it’s not an experience that I am enjoying at all,” he expressed.
Tsunoda has failed to make it into Q3 for the fifth time this season driving for the Milton-Keynes based outfit as he still struggles to adapt with a tricky RB21.
And disrupted track running due to a problem with his brakes during FP3 only further eroded his confidence in the car this weekend.
“After what happened in FP3, P11 is not the worst probably. Of course, it’s not good enough at all,” he began.
“On this kind of track, you want to build your confidence in FP3 and losing that FP3 time for me… and especially the part that you don’t really trust [the car] that much yet as much as VCARB in your 4th year, it’s hard to set the bar.
“In the VCARB (Racing Bulls) I know the car so losing that session is not that much of an issue. So, it wasn’t ideal at all to be honest. I was expecting even losing out in Q1.
“So, considering that it was okay but yeah, the car’s behavior was a lot different comparing to FP2 without all the upgrades.”
That said, the 25-year-old is still taking positives from the weekend so far.
After being fitted with new parts to bring him up to spec with Verstappen, Tsunoda has found the car to be more to his liking as he identifies areas of improvement.
“It felt better. I definitely feel there is speed in the car. I mean even Q2 last push. I now know exactly what corners I can improve,” he concluded.
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