Red Bull issues apology as Yuki Tsunoda calls out ‘pretty shocking’ error

Red Bull team boss Laurent Mekies apologised to Yuki Tsunoda, after a timing error saw him unable to mount an attempt at escaping the SQ1 elimination zone at the United States Grand Prix.

Tsunoda – a driver under mounting pressure to secure his Red Bull and Formula 1 future – made his frustration towards the team clear after his SQ1 exit, calling the error “pretty shocking” as he was forced to settle for P18 on the Sprint grid.

Red Bull apologise to frustrated Yuki Tsunoda

Tsunoda was sent out too late to start his outlap in the opening stage of Sprint qualifying, meaning the chequered flag flew before he reached the line, calling off his final flying lap, and resulting in his elimination.

Forced to come to terms with 18th on the grid, Tsunoda cut a frustrated figure after exiting the RB21 cockpit, and did not shy away from making that frustration towards his team clear.

Asked what happened in the timing breakdown, Tsunoda replied: “I don’t know.

“The timing of the garage exit was not even close, so I don’t know what’s happened there to be honest. Something went wrong and we didn’t have any opportunity to do a lap time.

“Very frustrating, because it’s not [under] my control. It was more up to them rather than myself, managing the timing. It’s pretty shocking.”

Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies took ownership of the error on the team’s behalf, issuing an apology to Tsunoda.

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The Japanese racer is battling for his future in the sport, with Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar emerging as a serious threat to Tsunoda’s Red Bull seat for F1 2026.

“We got it wrong,” Mekies admitted to Sky F1. “Honestly, we apologise to Yuki.

“The programme was a bit too tight, you know. It was a choice between stay out and cooling down on track, or trying to cool down a bit better in the garage, which we thought we will have the time to come back into the garage and get out again, but it was only possible for two cars to do that, and we missed the cut, so we owe Yuki an apology there.”

Max Verstappen went on to claim pole for the United States GP Sprint in the sister Red Bull. He is joined by McLaren’s Lando Norris on the front row, with championship leader Oscar Piastri launching from third.

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