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This is Tsunoda's reaction after hindering Verstappen and Perez

6 November 2021 at 22:52
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  • GPblog.com

Yuki Tsunoda was criticised by Max Verstappen, Helmut Marko and Christian Horner after the qualifying session for the Mexican Grand Prix. Nobody in the Red Bull Racing camp understands what Tsunoda was doing in the closing stages of Q3.

What is certain is that his sudden manoeuvre prevented Verstappen and Sergio Perez from improving, meaning that pole position went to Mercedes.

It's also ironic that Tsunoda wasn't even aiming for a good result in Q3. The Japanese driver would have started from the back of the grid anyway due to a grid penalty. Only Pierre Gasly benefited from Tsunoda's presence, as the Frenchman received a slipstream from his teammate.

Tsunoda has since reacted to the criticism via social media for the first time. In a short statement, he says that in his opinion he didn't have much other choice than to leave the track on that specific spot.

Tsunoda speaks out for the first time