FIA confirm Red Bull penalty verdict after…..read more
At the Bahrain Grand Prix, the FIA has officially confirmed a penalty decision for Red Bull driver Yuki Tsunoda following an incident that occurred during the first practice session (FP1) on Friday. The Japanese racer, who recently made a significant move to Red Bull from Racing Bulls, was under scrutiny after overtaking another driver in the pit lane, an act that violates Formula 1 regulations.
This marked a somewhat shaky beginning to Tsunoda’s tenure with the senior Red Bull team. Having replaced Liam Lawson after only two races into the 2025 season, Tsunoda has been working to adjust quickly to his new surroundings. However, Friday’s events suggested the transition may not be entirely smooth. During FP1, Tsunoda was observed performing an illegal overtake on Williams driver Alex Albon in the pit lane. This action drew immediate attention from the stewards, who summoned him for an investigation into the incident.
What made the situation even more unusual was that this was not Tsunoda’s only mishap in the pits during that session. Just minutes prior to the overtake, he mistakenly drove past his new Red Bull pit box and continued toward his former team’s—Racing Bulls—pit area. This error gave the impression that Tsunoda had momentarily forgotten he was now part of the Red Bull Racing team, raising questions about how well he had adapted to his new garage environment.
After the session, the FIA launched a formal investigation into the overtake. The stewards heard from Tsunoda (driver of car number 22), Albon (car number 23), and team representatives from both sides. They also reviewed data from the marshalling and positioning systems, in addition to analyzing video footage of the incident. The aim was to determine whether Tsunoda’s actions warranted a formal sporting penalty.
In its official statement, the FIA explained the reasoning behind the verdict. Tsunoda defended his move by claiming that he had seen Albon’s car being released from the garage and was concerned that if he braked too abruptly to avoid it, he might lock up his tires and potentially collide with the back of Albon’s car. While the stewards acknowledged this explanation and concluded that Red Bull had not released Tsunoda’s car in an unsafe manner, they ultimately decided that the overtake was not justifiable under the circumstances.
The stewards emphasized that, even with Tsunoda’s concerns about a possible lock-up, the correct response would have been to slow down and fall in line behind Albon rather than attempt to pass him in the pit lane. As a result, they issued a formal reprimand to Tsunoda, a minor but significant sporting penalty that will be recorded on his racing record.
This incident highlights the high standards of conduct expected in Formula 1, particularly regarding pit lane behavior where safety and order are paramount. While Tsunoda avoided a more severe penalty such as a grid drop or time penalty, the reprimand serves as a warning as he continues to adjust to the demands of driving for one of the sport’s top teams.
