FIA Announces Red Bull Decision Following Request Ahead of I…read more
The FIA has officially announced a decision regarding Red Bull Racing’s request concerning driver Yuki Tsunoda following his dramatic crash during Saturday’s qualifying session for the 2025 Imola Grand Prix. The decision comes at a critical point in Red Bull’s turbulent season, as the team battles to regain its former dominance amid challenges both on and off the track.
The seventh round of the 2025 Formula 1 season is underway in Italy’s picturesque Emilia-Romagna region, with Sunday’s main event set to determine whether Red Bull star Max Verstappen can claim only his second victory of the season. Despite showing promising pace during qualifying, the team has struggled to meet expectations throughout the opening rounds of the campaign.
Red Bull’s season has been anything but smooth. The reigning Constructors’ Champions have been grappling with a series of setbacks and inconsistencies, leading to early-season reshuffles in their driver lineup. Liam Lawson, who began the season as Verstappen’s teammate, was replaced after the Japanese Grand Prix by Yuki Tsunoda, who was promoted from the sister team in an effort to salvage Red Bull’s faltering campaign. Christian Horner, Red Bull’s team principal, and senior advisor Helmut Marko have faced mounting pressure to turn the tide and push the team back toward the top of the standings.
Tsunoda, now four races into his stint with Red Bull’s senior team, has shown glimpses of his potential but is still adapting to the RB21—an unforgiving and high-performing car that demands precision and confidence. His best result so far has been a ninth-place finish in Bahrain. With Red Bull currently sitting third in the Constructors’ Championship, every point is crucial, making Tsunoda’s progress and reliability key to the team’s aspirations.
However, Tsunoda’s hopes of contributing to the team’s points tally at Imola were thrown into doubt following a terrifying crash during Saturday’s Q1 session. After aggressively mounting a high kerb, his car flipped and violently slammed into the catch fencing. The shocking incident halted qualifying and raised immediate concerns about his condition. Fortunately, Red Bull confirmed shortly afterward that Tsunoda was unharmed and had walked away from the crash without injury.
Despite escaping the incident physically intact, the consequences on the sporting side were immediate. Tsunoda failed to set a valid lap time during the qualifying session, meaning he was initially disqualified from starting the race under normal conditions—a status known as “Did Not Qualify” (DNQ). This left Red Bull with little choice but to file a formal request to the FIA, asking that their driver be allowed to start the race despite not qualifying.
Late on Saturday evening, the FIA released an official statement confirming that they had reviewed Red Bull’s appeal and had made a final ruling on Tsunoda’s eligibility to race. The statement read:
“The stewards have received a request from Oracle Red Bull Racing to allow car 22 to start the race despite failing to set a lap time in Q1.
In accordance with Article 39.4 b) of the FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations, the stewards grant permission for car 22, Yuki Tsunoda, to start the race, as the driver has set satisfactory times in practice at this competition. The car will be placed on the grid in accordance with Article 42.1 of the FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations.”
This ruling permits Tsunoda to officially start the Imola Grand Prix from the 20th and final position on the grid, rather than from the pit lane—a small but potentially significant advantage depending on race developments.
With Verstappen aiming to add another victory to his record and Tsunoda now given the green light to race, Red Bull has a chance to salvage a decent result from what had threatened to become another frustrating weekend. Nevertheless, the pressure remains high for both drivers as well as team leadership. The spotlight will remain firmly on Tsunoda as he seeks redemption and the opportunity to demonstrate that he can be a long-term asset to the championship-winning team.
As the lights go out at Imola, all eyes will be on how Red Bull’s strategy unfolds, especially with a shaken but determined Tsunoda now confirmed to rejoin the grid.
