F1 has seen a bit of a lull lately, but the apology Yuki Tsunoda addressed to Red Bull made waves in the paddock.
The Japanese driver had to retract his statements regarding Liam Lawson. He had actually accused his former teammate of deliberately blocking him during qualifying in Austin. His comments then quickly spread across the media. Since then, Tsunoda has apologized to the Red Bull team, bringing an end to this controversy.
Accusations that surprised the paddock
During qualifying, Tsunoda seemed frustrated by Lawson’s performance, which he deemed deliberately disruptive. He had said to the microphone: “With Lawson, it’s just the usual story. He always does something on purpose.” Several specialized media outlets then reported these remarks. The public then interpreted them as a direct attack on the New Zealand driver.
An immediate and controversial reaction
The Austin weekend had not been easy for the Japanese F1 driver. During the qualifying sprint, he had failed to place in the top 10. This further aggravated his frustration.
Tsunoda is also now fully integrated into Red Bull after his rapid promotion from Racing Bulls. He expressed his annoyance to the press, without directly addressing the situation with Lawson. The New Zealander, for his part, downplayed the incident. He stated that he had “absolutely no idea what Tsunoda was talking about.”
Tsunoda sincerely apologizes to Red Bull
A few days after the incident, Tsunoda chose to clarify the situation. “I apologized to the team, to VCARB, for what I said in the media – it was very unnecessary,” he explained. This step marks an effort to ease tensions and preserve team spirit, especially with the end of the season and the battle for positions in the Red Bull hierarchy approaching.
Let’s not forget that Tsunoda and Lawson have frequently competed against each other before Red Bull. They had, for example, faced each other in junior categories. Furthermore, Lawson had previously earned the promotion to Red Bull. As for Tsunoda, he joined the main team after only two races of the 2025 season. This latent rivalry adds another dimension to the tensions observed in Austin.
The goal is cohesion for the end of the season
For the Japanese driver, the essential thing now is to focus on his performance. His seventh place in Austin is a positive point to leverage. Tsunoda thus wanted to show that he can support Red Bull and contribute to the Constructors’ Championship. At the same time, he consolidates his position relative to Max Verstappen, who is aiming for a fifth consecutive world title.
Red Bull under pressure after Tsunoda’s apology?
The situation highlights the constant pressure at Red Bull, where each driver is evaluated for their future with the team. Communication mistakes can quickly gain media attention. That said, Tsunoda’s apology shows that he is aware of the importance of maintaining team cohesion.