Yuki Tsunoda has apologised to former team Racing Bulls as he backtracked on comments made about Liam Lawson during Formula 1‘s United States Grand Prix.
Tsunoda endured yet another difficult outing in the RB21 at the Circuit of the Americas last weekend.
The Japanese driver felt he was impeded by former team-mate Lawson during qualifying, as the 25-year-old failed to make it into the top-10 shootout on Saturday.
Visibly perturbed by what he viewed as a deliberate move by the New Zealander, Tsunoda lambasted the 23-year-old before the media including Motorsport Week.
“With Lawson, it’s just the usual story,” he had said.
“He’s always doing something on purpose, and it’s b*******, so it’s him. I don’t care about him, to be honest.”
Lawson held his ground as he insisted he had “absolutely no idea what he’s [Tsunoda] talking about.”
Tsunoda reveals aftermath of US GP bust-up with Lawson
Having raced alongside Lawson in 2024, Tsunoda was promoted to Red Bull only two races into the 2025 campaign as the Kiwi was relegated back to Racing Bulls.
Speaking ahead of the Mexico City Grand Prix on Thursday, the Honda-backed driver revealed he had since apologised to his former team for his comments.
“I apologised to the team, to VCARB, for what I said in the media – it was very unnecessary,” he told media including Motorsport Week.
“I don’t think we have spoken in person,” he added when prodded if he had cleared the air with Lawson himself.
Looking forward to the final five races of the season, Tsunoda is eager to build on his seventh-place finish in Austin as he fights to prove his place within the team for 2026.
“For me it’s more clear, it’s really a crucial moment as a team in the championship, especially [for] my team-mate, so [it’s about] how much I can support that,” he explained.
With his team-mate Max Verstappen now realistically back in his bid to secure a fifth consecutive world title, Tsunoda wants to be in a position to assist the Dutchman’s bid.
“There is the potential to be P2 in the Teams’ Championship, which is very good, and what I scored in Austin [P7] is a good step, so I’ve got to have more of the same.
“Just keep scoring at every race, which in the last few years Red Bull drivers have struggled at.
“I’m in the right trajectory, especially in the second half of the season so far, each race is pretty good.
“I’ve proven those things in past years, and especially in another season with a different team, so what I have to do is quite clear.”
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