FIA Issues Double Penalty Blow to Red Bull after…. read more
Red Bull endured a dismal weekend at their home race in Austria as the FIA issued a harsh penalty verdict, dealing a double blow to the team following a chaotic start to the Grand Prix.
While reigning World Champion Max Verstappen suffered a race-ending crash on the very first lap, it was his team-mate Yuki Tsunoda who drew the ire of the stewards later in the event. The Japanese driver, who has recently joined Red Bull’s senior team, not only finished last among the classified drivers but also walked away from the Styrian mountains with both a time penalty and additional penalty points on his super licence.
Red Bull’s hopes of a strong performance in front of their home crowd were dashed early. Verstappen was taken out after a first-lap collision that saw him retire from the race almost instantly. Meanwhile, Tsunoda struggled for pace and position throughout, eventually crossing the line in P16—the last of the drivers still running at the end of the race.
Despite being stuck at the back, Tsunoda continued to fight for position, engaging in a late-race battle with Alpine’s Franco Colapinto. However, on lap 31, Tsunoda made a risky move down the inside of Colapinto at Turn 4, resulting in contact between the two cars. Tsunoda’s aggressive attempt saw him damage his front wing, forcing an unscheduled pit stop for repairs.
But the damage to his car was only the beginning. After reviewing footage of the incident, the FIA stewards concluded that Tsunoda was entirely to blame. According to their official ruling, Tsunoda never had his front axle ahead of Colapinto’s mirrors prior to the collision—failing to meet the standard required to claim the corner.
As a result, Tsunoda was hit with a 10-second time penalty for causing the collision. Although the penalty did not affect his race result—since he already sat at the bottom of the standings—it further emphasized his difficult day. More significantly, the stewards also issued two penalty points on his FIA super licence, bringing his total to four.
For Red Bull, the nightmare weekend was perhaps one of their worst at their home circuit. Christian Horner’s team leaves Austria not only without points but with renewed concerns about driver discipline, especially considering the narrow margin Verstappen had previously been treading with 11 penalty points to his name.
However, in the midst of the gloom, there was a small silver lining: two of Verstappen’s penalty points have now expired, lowering his total to nine. While that still places him dangerously close to a race ban, the immediate risk has been reduced—offering the team a minor reprieve.
In summary, Red Bull’s Austrian Grand Prix was plagued by disappointment and penalties. With Verstappen out early and Tsunoda under investigation and ultimately penalized, the weekend was a far cry from the dominant performances the team has delivered in recent years.
