Yuki Tsunoda addresses ‘usual’ Liam Lawson after US Grand Prix incident

Michelle Foster
Yuki Tsunoda in the Red Bull garage at Spa

Red Bull driver Yuki Tsunoda in the garage

Red Bull hopefuls Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson were at it again during Sprint qualifying in Austin, with the current incumbent unimpressed with his rival’s antics during SQ1.

Fighting for his Red Bull, if not Formula 1, career, Tsunoda finished Sprint quali at the Circuit of the Americas down in 18th place with Red Bull admitting it “got it wrong” as the team released Tsunoda too late to put in a final flying lap.

Yuki Tsunoda: Fresh blow as Red Bull driver fights for F1 future

⦁ Yuki Tsunoda fumes at ‘usual’ Liam Lawson
⦁ Red Bull driver failed to make it out SQ1 in Austin
⦁ Austin marks the second last race before Red Bull’s all-important F1 2026 decision

But on closer inspection it wasn’t just Red Bull who thwarted the Japanese driver, it was also Lawson.

As the cars left the pits, Tsunoda was at the rear of the queue and under pressure to cross the start/finish line in time for one last flying lap. He had Lawson ahead of him on the track.

Tsunoda told Racing Bulls: “It’s gonna be f**king tight.”

He added: “Are we sure we can make it?”

The reply was to “keep fighting to the end, and we open the lap regardless.”

Desperate to ensure he made it to the line in time, Tsunoda tried to overtake Lawson at Turn Two only for the New Zealander to shut the door on him with a forceful block.

Tsunoda didn’t make it across the line, and finished Sprint quali down in 18th place.

Tsunoda called it typical Lawson.

Asked about the incident, he told F1TV: “It’s more like his usual. Nothing I expect more than that to be honest from him.”

It wasn’t the first time the Japanese driver and Lawson have found themselves at odds this season, with the two notably coming to blows at the Italian Grand Prix when Lawson was blamed for crashing into Tsunoda.

But while Lawson got the blame on the track on Friday in Austin, it was Red Bull’s mistake off of it that ultimately cost Tsunoda a spot in SQ1 as the team put him in a difficult position.

“It’s more just the timing of the garage exit, it wasn’t even close,” Tsunoda explained. “I don’t know what happened, to be honest.

“Something went wrong and I didn’t have the opportunity to do a lap time. A big shame.

“It’s very frustrating because it’s not in my control. We can control it, but it’s more up to them than my side. It’s pretty shocking.”

F1 contracts: Made to be broken?

👉 F1 2026 driver line-up: Lewis Hamilton and other drivers already confirmed for 2026

👉 F1 driver contracts: What is the contract status of every driver on the F1 2025 grid?

Yuki Tsunoda: What next for the Red Bull hopeful?

Yuki Tsunoda may be the driver currently sitting in the Red Bull seat alongside Max Verstappen, but it’s understood he won’t be there for long as Isack Hadjar is expected to replace him next season.

The Racing Bulls driver has been the standout rookie this campaign, scoring 39 points, including a podium finish at the Dutch Grand Prix where he was second behind Max Verstappen.

Tsunoda has managed just 20, of which only 17 were scored in the RB21, putting him bottom of the Red Bull log behind Verstappen, Hadjar and Lawson.

Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko has said a decision will be made “after the Mexican Grand Prix” giving Tsunoda, Hadjar and even Lawson two grand prix weekends to stake their claim on the Red Bull seat.

Should Tsunoda lose out on the Red Bull seat, he could yet continue on the grid with Racing Bulls but would have to see off Lawson for that job while he’s also been linked to a reserve role with Aston Martin, who will be powered by Honda next year.

Read next: Lewis Hamilton ‘defeated’ as Danica Patrick makes blunt Ferrari observation

Red Bull Yuki Tsunoda

Related Articles