Red Bull F1 star hit by late FIA demotion at S…read more
Red Bull Formula 1 driver Yuki Tsunoda has been hit with a significant setback ahead of the 2025 Spanish Grand Prix, as he has been handed a late demotion by the FIA which will see him start the race from the pit lane. The 25-year-old Japanese driver endured a disappointing qualifying session at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, where he was knocked out in Q1 and ended up setting the slowest time of all 20 drivers. While starting from the back of the grid might have offered a slim opportunity to climb through the field, his fortunes have taken another blow due to a breach of FIA regulations regarding car modifications under parc ferme conditions.
According to a statement from the FIA released on Sunday morning, Red Bull made a series of changes to Tsunoda’s RB21 after qualifying had concluded. These adjustments included the installation of a new rear wing, among other setup modifications, which are not permitted under parc ferme rules without incurring a penalty. Parc ferme, which translates to “closed park” in French, is a set of regulations that prevent teams from making major changes to the cars after qualifying has ended and before the race begins. The rule is designed to preserve fairness and maintain the integrity of the qualifying results heading into race day.
Because of these changes, Tsunoda will not be allowed to take his place at the back of the starting grid and will instead have to begin the race from the pit lane. This means he will only be allowed to join the race after the rest of the field has passed the pit exit following lights out, putting him at an immediate disadvantage. While the penalty is a clear blow to Tsunoda’s hopes of a strong finish, it also represents a calculated decision by Red Bull, who evidently believed the technical updates to his car could provide a better chance of recovery and performance throughout the race.
This development adds to what has already been a challenging weekend for Tsunoda and the Red Bull team. Despite high expectations going into the weekend, the driver failed to find pace during qualifying and now faces an uphill battle in Sunday’s race. Nonetheless, with the adjustments made to his car, there may still be an opportunity to salvage points—though it will require both strategic brilliance and a strong race-day performance.
Tsunoda’s penalty will also affect the starting grid composition for the Spanish Grand Prix. Due to his demotion and the withdrawal of Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll—who will miss the race due to an ongoing injury—only 18 drivers will take their positions on the official grid at lights out. Stroll’s absence was confirmed by Aston Martin on Saturday, citing that the Canadian driver had not recovered sufficiently to compete. With two fewer cars on the grid, the race will begin with a notable gap at the rear, and Tsunoda’s pit lane start ensures that he won’t be in the thick of the action when the lights go out.
Fans will now be watching closely to see whether the Japanese driver can mount a comeback under difficult circumstances. Red Bull, no strangers to calculated gambles, will be hoping the setup changes give Tsunoda enough performance advantage to make up lost ground. Though the odds are stacked against him, Formula 1 is a sport full of unpredictability, and Tsunoda will be aiming to turn a frustrating start into a commendable finish.
As the 2025 Spanish Grand Prix gets underway, the focus will be not only on the front-runners battling for victory but also on the back markers like Tsunoda, who face the daunting challenge of climbing through the field from a compromised position.
