Every track favors every team differently. For the struggling AlphaTauri, that was the Mexican GP. The Italian team’s car really liked the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez and was easily a top-ten car. However, unluckily, the team not only had to take a back-of-the-grid engine penalty for Yuki Tsunoda, but the Japanese driver also crashed into Oscar Piastri. After going through the field and putting himself in P8 at the restart, his crash with the McLaren man ruined the rest of his race. Tsunoda launched an X-rated rant instantly and could only recover till P12 in the race. However, upon reflection after the race, the AlphaTauri man has finally come out to admit his part in the crash.
We all know Tsunoda is a fiery man and doesn’t hold back from expressing his thoughts as he thinks them. He did exactly that moment after the crash with Piastri. This earned him some criticism as well from an ex-Red Bull man. However, after the dust settled, Tsunoda looked at the situation calmly and made a mature assessment of the matter.
Tsunoda said, “We could’ve finished with both cars in the points in Mexico, and starting towards the back on the grid, that would’ve been a strong result for me.”
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Yuki Tsunoda: We could've finished with both cars in the points in Mexico, and starting towards the back on the grid, that would've been a strong result for me. With Piastri, I knew I had to pass him as soon as possible, but I was too eager. I'll learn from that in the future. pic.twitter.com/vO15zM9rrW
— Junaid #JB17 (@JunaidSamodien_) November 1, 2023
He then took the blame for the collision with Piastri, which he wasn’t too happy about. “With Piastri, I knew I had to pass him as soon as possible, but I was too eager. I’ll learn from that in the future,” admitted Tsunoda.
Tsunoda might’ve admitted his mistake and showcased some much-needed maturity on this matter of the crash. However, his reaction to the crash did not help his case for the future.
Daniel Ricciardo’s heroics in Mexico put him way ahead of Yuki Tsunoda in the pecking order
Ricciardo looked like his vintage self in Mexico and was helped with the AT04’s favorability to the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez circuit. The Australian, incredibly, qualified fourth for the race and drove incredibly to eventually finish in seventh place.
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This scenario, coupled with the crash, has definitely not helped Tsunoda’s chances for a future Red Bull seat. In fact, he might even have to fight for his place in F1.
As highlighted by Lawrence Barretto, Ricciardo has been the single most positive aspect of AlphaTauri this entire season. “Ricciardo spent more laps inside the top five in Mexico than the team has managed in all the other races combined this year. Seventh is also AlphaTauri’s best result of the season and moves them off the bottom of the Constructors’ Championship and level with eighth-placed Alfa Romeo,” he wrote.
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WATCH THIS STORY: Daniel Ricciardo’s billion-dollar F1 Dream in Jeopardy
Despite a valid contract, the ruthless approach from Red Bull might see the Japanese driver get the boot, as he already has competition on the sidelines in the form of Liam Lawson. With critical few races coming Tsunoda’s way, will he be able to keep his cool and change the perspective around him? We will soon find out!