Tsunoda Reflects on Gasly Collision as Missed Learning Opportunity in… Read more
Yuki Tsunoda expressed disappointment following his collision with Pierre Gasly during the opening lap of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, labeling the incident a “great shame” as it cost both drivers valuable race time and learning opportunities.
The crash occurred as the field raced through the narrow section between Turns 3 and 4 of the Jeddah Corniche Circuit. Gasly, driving for Alpine, attempted an ambitious move around the outside of Tsunoda’s Red Bull while fighting for eighth position. Although overtaking is occasionally seen on the inside at this tricky corner, the outside is rarely used due to tight walls and the rapid direction change that follows.
Tsunoda, who recently joined Red Bull’s main team after replacing Liam Lawson, defended his actions, saying he did everything he could to avoid contact. “For me, it’s just a racing incident,” he explained. “I don’t think I could have done better than that, to be honest. I tried my best to avoid [Gasly] as much as I can, but in that kind of space, it’s really hard to avoid contact.”
He also acknowledged the difficulty of managing wheel-to-wheel racing at that point on the track, noting that any move to the outside requires at least half the car to be on the white line to avoid a collision. “It’s a shame,” Tsunoda added, especially since both drivers knew each other’s styles from being former teammates at AlphaTauri.
When asked whether he and Gasly should have approached the start more cautiously given how bunched up the field was, Tsunoda admitted the situation was unclear. “I was behind [Carlos] Sainz and fully in control in terms of speed. It’s hard to justify which of us was in the wrong,” he said, underlining the complexity of the racing situation.
Tsunoda’s incident comes during a crucial stage of his Red Bull tenure. Since stepping up to replace Lawson before the Japanese Grand Prix, he has only managed to score two points from a ninth-place finish in Bahrain. In contrast, his teammate Max Verstappen has already amassed 51 points.
Recognizing the pressure that comes with driving for a top team, Tsunoda stressed the importance of every race lap. “Every lap for me is very important at this time. It’s only the third race, and every lap counts to learn something,” he said. “It’s a shame something like this happened so early in the race.”
The crash not only ended both drivers’ races prematurely but also deprived Tsunoda of valuable track time and the chance to further acclimate to his new role at Red Bull.
