Red Bull Issues Apology to Yuki Tsunoda After Costly Sprint Qualifying Blunder in Austin
Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies has publicly apologised to Yuki Tsunoda after a costly strategic miscalculation saw the Japanese driver fail to advance beyond SQ1 in Friday’s Sprint Qualifying session at the United States Grand Prix.
The mishap unfolded in the dying moments of the session at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. With just under two minutes left on the clock, Tsunoda found himself at the tail end of a long queue of cars exiting the pit lane, all eager to begin their final flying laps. Unfortunately, the delay proved disastrous. Despite pushing hard to make it around to the start line in time, Tsunoda missed the cut-off by mere seconds—meaning he never got the chance to set a final lap.
The mistake condemned the Racing Bulls driver to 18th on the grid for Saturday’s Sprint race, a crushing result considering his promising pace earlier in the weekend. Tsunoda, who has consistently impressed this season with strong qualifying performances and feisty racecraft, described the situation as “pretty shocking,” visibly frustrated by what he perceived as a preventable error from the pit wall.
Speaking after the session, Mekies did not shy away from responsibility, acknowledging that the team’s strategic call backfired badly.
> “We apologise to Yuki,” Mekies told Sky Sports F1. “The program was a bit too tight. It was a choice between staying out and cooling the tyres on track, or coming back to the garage to cool down more efficiently before going out again. We thought we had enough time for the latter, but it turned out to be too optimistic.”
The Red Bull-affiliated outfit’s plan hinged on having enough of a time window for Tsunoda to complete his cooldown lap, pit stop, and out-lap before the clock ran out. However, a combination of traffic and poor timing meant only a handful of drivers managed to squeeze in one final attempt—Tsunoda was not among them.
> “It was only possible for a few cars to do that, and we missed the cut,” Mekies admitted. “So we owe Yuki an apology there. It was a tough one, and we’ll make sure to review the timing and communication closely before the main qualifying tomorrow.”
While Tsunoda was left to rue the missed opportunity, the mood was much brighter on the other side of the Red Bull garage. Max Verstappen continued his dominant form by securing pole position for the Sprint, edging out McLaren’s Lando Norris in dramatic fashion.
Mekies praised the reigning four-time world champion’s performance, explaining that Verstappen’s advantage came down to perfection in the final sector.
> “We knew it was always going to be close,” he said. “Lando had put in a very strong lap in Q3, and it looked difficult to match. Max was virtually line-to-line with him through the first two sectors, but in the final corners, he found that extra bit of grip and commitment. That made all the difference.”
Verstappen’s lap not only earned him pole but also reaffirmed Red Bull’s return to top form after a few challenging weekends earlier in the season. For Tsunoda, however, the session was a sobering reminder of how small margins can undo a promising weekend.
Heading into Saturday’s Sprint, the Japanese driver faces an uphill battle from the back of the field, though his pace suggests a potential recovery could still be on the cards. The team, meanwhile, will be under pressure to ensure no further strategic lapses occur—especially with valuable championship points at stake.
As Mekies summed up, the incident served as a learning moment for the team:
> “Sometimes in Formula 1, you push the limits and get caught out. This time it didn’t go our way, but we’ll regroup and make sure Yuki has a clean shot in the next session.”
With Red Bull’s contrasting fortunes in Austin, all eyes will be on whether Tsunoda can convert an apology into redemption when the lights go out for the Sprint race.
