Regardless of his second look in Q3, Yuki Tsunoda was unable to show his race tempo on the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, having suffered a collision together with his former team-mate Pierre Gasly.
There was a first-lap drama on the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix as former group mates Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda collided on the opening lap, with the incident prompting the Security Automotive to come back out as each hit the wall.
Whereas Gasly was out of the working within the Alpine, Tsunoda managed to limp again to the pits however discovered himself in the back of the sector. Nonetheless, Crimson Bull mechanics investigated the again finish of Tsunoda’s RB21, and got here to the conclusion that the Japanese driver must retire from the race because of the injury.
The stewards investigated the incident between the Alpine and the Crimson Bull driver, and determined in opposition to handing out a penalty as “no occasion [was] wholly or predominantly in charge.”
Explaining his collision with Gasly, Tsunoda was left to rue the crash as he missed out on gaining additional expertise together with his new automotive which has been proved tough to manage and arrange.
“It was actually unlucky to be concerned in a racing incident so early within the race immediately. I used to be totally in management earlier than the incident, Carlos was additionally proper in entrance of me, and there was simply nowhere for me to go because it occurred on the tightest nook on this monitor. I did as a lot as I might to keep away from any incidents, however then I sadly had rear wing injury and I couldn’t proceed safely within the race.
“It’s painful to collide with anybody, particularly Pierre as we’re mates, and this was not excellent for both of us as on the finish of the day we’re preventing for factors and success, and my aim is to attain as a lot as doable each weekend.
“Each lap is essential to me and to be taught one thing and to expertise the automotive extra, a disgrace that one thing like this occurred at an early stage of the race.
“The constructive from the weekend is that I really feel like we have now made progress, being in Q3 once more, and I really feel like my confidence is constructing an increasing number of. Subsequent we have now some testing within the RB19 earlier than Miami, after which I’m excited to go once more with the Crew and hopefully have a greater consequence and produce house some factors,” concluded Tsunoda.
