Tsunoda Unaware of Stroll Collision in Brazil GP, Race Unravels

Yuki Tsunoda expressed surprise after sending Lance Stroll into a spin during the Brazilian Grand Prix, a collision that ultimately derailed his race. The incident, which Tsunoda claims he "didn't even notice," led to multiple penalties and a frustrating last-place finish for the Red Bull driver.

Why it matters:

Yuki Tsunoda's performance in Brazil highlights the razor-thin margins and critical decision-making required in Formula 1. A seemingly minor incident, compounded by team errors, can completely unravel a driver's race, even when underlying pace is strong. For a driver like Tsunoda, who is still solidifying his place in F1, these missteps are costly for his and his team's championship aspirations.

The Details:

• The Incident: On lap six, after a safety car restart, Tsunoda was in 16th. Exiting Ferradura behind Franco Colapinto, he braked much later, swerved to avoid the Alpine, and inadvertently made contact with Lance Stroll, spinning the Aston Martin.
• Tsunoda's Reaction: Post-race, Tsunoda stated, "To be honest, I didn't even notice the contact. I don't know, I just have to review what's happened, to be honest." He also noted his car sustained "some damage, but it was not big."
• Penalties Galore: The collision resulted in a 10-second penalty for Tsunoda. Red Bull then failed to properly serve this penalty during his subsequent pitstop, incurring an additional 10-second penalty.
• Race Outcome: These penalties relegated Tsunoda to a 17th and last-place finish, a stark contrast to his potentially decent pace, especially in the final stint.
• Team Perspective: Team Principal Laurent Mekies acknowledged the unfortunate sequence of events, stating, "He lost a lot of time in the contact, got the extra 10-second penalty, then we made a mistake on our side and we got another 10-second extra penalty." Mekies did, however, praise Tsunoda's strong final stint in clean air.

The Big Picture:

Tsunoda's challenging weekend, marked by qualifying 18th for the sprint and 19th for the main race, underscored a broader struggle for Red Bull in Brazil, though Max Verstappen managed to secure a third-place finish. While Mekies noted Tsunoda's strong pace when in clear air, the series of errors and penalties meant any potential for points was completely out of reach. Hypothetically, without the 20 seconds of penalties, Tsunoda's race time would have put him much higher, though actual race dynamics with overtakes and battles would have likely played out differently.

What's next:

For Tsunoda, reviewing the incident and learning from the operational errors will be crucial as he looks to improve his consistency. The focus will be on minimizing mistakes and maximizing the car's potential in the remaining races. The team will also need to address their pitstop procedure to avoid similar errors in the future, ensuring that any penalties are served correctly and do not compound a challenging race for their drivers.