F1 News: Yuki Tsunoda Almost Hits Daniel Ricciardo In Anger During Cooldown Lap
During the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix, Yuki Tsunoda's frustration reached boiling point, leading to a near-miss with Daniel Ricciardo during the cooldown lap. The incident has become a focal point of post-race discussions.
Key Takeaways:
- Tsunoda, instructed to let Ricciardo pass towards the race's end, expressed disbelief and frustration.
- On the cooldown lap, Tsunoda aggressively approached Ricciardo at Turn 8, narrowly avoiding collision.
- The altercation has sparked widespread debate regarding team orders, driver conduct, and the psychological pressures of racing.
The Bahrain Grand Prix, marking the commencement of the 2024 Formula 1 season, saw Max Verstappen securing a victory for Red Bull with his teammate Sergio Perez, and Ferrari's Carlos Sainz rounding out the podium. However, it was the tension between RB's Yuki Tsunoda and teammate Daniel Ricciardo that stole the spotlight from the podium finishers.
Towards the climax of the race, Tsunoda's race engineer instructed him to allow Ricciardo past, with the idea being that he could give Haas' Kevin Magnussen more of a fight.
"Are you kidding me, now?" the Japanese driver shouted down the radio.
After the chequered flag had been waved, Tsunoda's frustration manifested in a dramatic and risky manoeuvre as he divebombed Ricciardo at Turn 8, coming perilously close to causing a collision.
"What the f**k?" Ricciardo said down his radio. "I'll save it. He's a f****ng helmet."
Like many, I do agree that this was a silly decision for RB. There were no points in the move and with Max Verstappen close behind, the team must have realised that this would get in the way of any overtaking manoeuvre as the blue flags were waved. They also didn't allow Tsunoda to take his place back at the end of the race when Ricciardo - who had driven poorly throughout the race - couldn't make a move on the Haas. His trust in the team will likely be shaken.
Aside from the Tsunoda-Ricciardo episode, the Bahrain Grand Prix was notable for its strategic challenges and technical issues, affecting various teams and drivers, including steering troubles for Logan Sargeant and Alex Albon, and energy recovery system problems for Lewis Hamilton.