F1 News: Yuki Tsunoda Warned By Helmut Marko - “Could Have Been Avoided"
After the team orders controversy involving Daniel Ricciardo in Bahrain when Yuki Tsunoda was asked to swap positions, Red Bull senior advisor Helmut Marko engaged in discussions with the Japanese driver to ensure the "theatre" doesn't repeat.
Key Takeaways
- Red Bull senior advisor Helmut Marko holds discussions with VCARB driver Yuki Tsunoda following the Bahrain Grand Prix team orders controversy involving Daniel Ricciardo.
- Tsunoda, dissatisfied with team instructions to swap positions with Ricciardo, expresses his frustration by nearly colliding with Ricciardo during the cooldown lap, leading to criticism from Ricciardo and Marko.
- Despite Red Bull's success with Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez finishing 1-2, Marko acknowledges missed opportunities for Tsunoda, emphasizing the importance of strategic decision-making for optimal race outcomes.
Red Bull Content Pool
As the Bahrain Grand Prix neared its conclusion, the Japanese driver, equipped with hard tires, became frustrated when his team requested him to exchange his P13 position with teammate Ricciardo, who was racing on soft tires.
He let Ricciardo pass but indicated his dissatisfaction with the team's decision by conducting a near-collision maneuver against his teammate during the cooldown lap. Though Ricciardo called out Tsunoda for displaying his "immaturity", Marko emphasized that the "theatre" was avoidable.
Marko also explained to Tsunoda that with the right strategy, he could have achieved P10. He told OE24:
“The theatre could have been avoided.
“I spoke to Yuki afterwards. With the right strategy, he could have finished 10th.”
However, giving up the position to Ricciardo caused Tsunoda to finish in P14, four positions lower than what Marko claimed was achievable.
However, Marko was all praises for VCARB senior team Red Bull, whose drivers Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez finished 1-2. However, when Marko was confronted with a prediction made by VCARB's former team principal, Franz Tost, that Red Bull would win all races in 2024, the Red Bull advisor disagreed by saying:
“Ah, go. We saw last year that can’t work.
“You’re sensational on the track and then comes Singapore, where we have no chance.
“The most important thing is the World Championship title.”