Yuki Tsunoda cut off in flight in Baku

In Baku, both Alpha Tauri seemed to be flying all weekend. On a track which had been favorable to them the previous year, the Italian team's single-seaters had managed to achieve a great feat in qualifying. By starting from the 6th and 8th row, Pierre Gasly et Yuki tsunoda had the opportunity to score big points. This potential result the Faenza team owed to the performance offered by the Honda engine on the Azeri track.

On the 39th lap of the race, when Yuki Tsunoda was no longer in the battle with Lewis Hamilton who was aiming for his teammate's 5th place, the Japanese's wings were cut. The onboard camera on the car from Japan allowed spectators to witness an unusual scene. The rear wing was cut in two. It didn't take long before the track marshals also noticed the anomaly. The flag with an orange circle on a black background is then brandished and Yuki Tsunoda is immediately recalled to the pit lane. “ I wasn't really aware of the problem as it wasn't affecting our performance too much, so I was a bit shocked when they called me » explains the AlphaTauri driver.

Yuki Tsunoda could have kept his 6th place at the finish

To allow it to remain in the race, system D is chosen with the use of tape to secure the wing. This makeshift repair carried out, the 22-year-old driver then set off again in the race not without swearing on the radio which he is accustomed to uttering during the race. The instructions are simple: “ No DRS ", but it was too late for the Japanese with these soft tires, he finally finished in 13th position. “ I am very disappointed today. Before the reliability issues, the race was going pretty well for me, we were in control of the tires and the pace was good. So, we could have easily finished P6 today », underlines Yuki Tsunoda.

All it takes is a little tape to repair a F1 😅#AzerbaijanGP🇦🇿 | ▶️ https://t.co/7plkVVV12v pic.twitter.com/JLlbRne84F

— CANAL+ F1® (@CanalplusF1) June 12, 2022

« It's a real shame to come away without points on my side of the garage, because the team did a great job this weekend and we were strong in every session », points out Yuki Tsunoda. Within his team, everyone is aware that AlphaTauri missed a big opportunity in Baku. “ We are very disappointed for Yuki, who lost a possible sixth position due to mechanical damage around the DRS mechanism and the rear wing flap, underlines Guillaume Dezoteux, responsible for vehicle performance. Mechanical damage forced us to stop and repair the problem, losing many positions. We apologize to him, he did a fantastic job this weekend and deserved this result. » With this 13th place, Yuki Tsunoda does not allow AlphaTauri to close the gap with Alfa Romeo 6th in the constructors' standings with 14 points more than the Italian team.

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