Yuki Tsunoda’s high-speed crash in Q1 at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix has dealt a major blow to Red Bull’s weekend, with Helmut Marko calling the incident a “huge setback” amid already tight resources. The crash, which destroyed Tsunoda’s upgraded RB21, couldn’t have come at a worse time, as Imola kicks off a gruelling triple-header stretch in the Formula 1 calendar.
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Red Bull lands in ‘critical situation’ after Tsunoda’s crash
While Tsunoda walked out safe and unharmed after the crash, the same cannot be said for Red Bull. Tsunoda was testing the upgraded RB21 at Imola, equipped with the same spec floor Max Verstappen debuted in Miami. With this being the first race of a tight triple-header, Helmut Marko has warned that the damage to Tsunoda’s car has left Red Bull’s spare parts situation “critical,” putting added pressure on the team for the upcoming races.
Speaking to Sky Deutschland, Marko expressed relief that Tsunoda wasn’t injured, saying, “Thank God nothing happened to him personally.” However, he emphasised the severity of the situation, noting, “It’s a huge setback for us, especially with three races in a row coming up. Monte Carlo, in particular, doesn’t leave room for error. Our spare parts situation has become quite critical because of this.” But he didn’t blame Tsunoda, adding, “You have to give him security and support. And we will do that.”
However, Tsunoda expressed gratitude for his team’s support and denied any implications of pressure that led to Imola crash. He said, “I think the team is supporting me enough to take off pressure as much as possible,” he said. “I just tried to be a hero in Q1, which is unnecessary. Aiming too much, aiming myself to pass Q1 in just one set.”
Tsunoda’s chilling car crash
Tsunoda’s crash was a terrifying sight as his car spun into the gravel, violently rear-ending the tyre wall. The impact sent his car tumbling onto the barrier, where it barrel-rolled before landing back on its wheels in the gravel trap. Fortunately, Tsunoda emerged unscathed, walking away from the wreckage, but his team was left with a long night of repairs to get his car ready for the next session. Tsunoda was apologetic towards his team for all the increased work they were left with after the crash.
He told PlanetF1, “I was just very ashamed, disappointed. It was really stupid for myself, pushing like that, unnecessarily hard.” He continued, “The only thing I can do is apologise to them and just pray. The car obviously had a big damage, so the mechanics have to do a lot of work until tomorrow; hopefully the car will be ready.” He added, “Very unnecessary for them, and for myself putting them in the wrong situation.”