'What a fool!'; Tsunoda Under Fire For Collision That Might Eventually Cost AlphaTauri $20 Million

Thursday, 02 November 2023 at 03:00

Former Minardi F1 team boss Paul Stoddart criticized AlphaTauri driver Yuki Tsunoda for the collision that cost him at least two points during the 2023 Mexico City Grand Prix.

Yuki Tsunoda was on a charge from the beginning of the race. The team had changed a power unit inside his car outside of regulation, so the Japanese driver had to start from the back of the grid.

However, the 23-year-old showed an amazing pace as he climbed up the grid throughout the race. Tsunoda went from P18 to P9 before the incident, which ended his chances for points.

The AlphaTauri driver wanted to perform an overtake on Oscar Piastri into turn one when he turned from the outside into the McLaren of the Australian driver on the inside of the corner.

The contact between the two cars sent Tsunoda spinning out of the track, ending his hopes for a point position. Former Minardi F1 team boss Paul Stoddart wrote in his column for RacingNews365.com.

"What a fool! It was so obvious that he and Piastri would clash at some point. Those four points he threw away for eighth place are so incredibly important to the team."

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The points that Tsunoda could have added to the 6 points earned by his teammate Daniel Ricciardo could potentially have helped AlphaTauri secure the eighth position in the Championship.

"You’re talking roughly about some $20 million difference in prize money between P8 and P10 in the Constructors’ Championship."

F1 teams get prize money according to the Championship standings. If the team misses out on the 8th place in the Championship by two to four points, it is precisely the points that Tsunoda lost by his mistake in Mexico City.

"Although they are now eighth, they are only a shared eighth with Alfa Romeo on 16 points. Had Tsunoda simply secured those points, which were really up for grabs, they would have 20 points and be comfortably clear of Alfa Romeo and Haas."

Thanks to Ricciardo's contribution, AlphaTauri is currently in the eighth place in the Championship. However, the battle is far from over with three race weekends remaining.