Autobayng News Team
Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda accused a member of their other Formula 1 team of intentionally disrupting his laps during qualifying in Austin.
But Liam Lawson said he didn’t know what Tsunoda was referring to, when asked about his rival’s complaints.
“With me?” Lawson asked. “I’ve absolutely no idea what he’s talking about.”
“I think traffic is always a little bit tough around here, to be honest,” said the Racing Bulls driver, who lost his seat at Red Bull to Tsunoda after the first two rounds of the season. “This weekend it’s been something that we’ve all been dealing with. We got hit real bad yesterday in sector one.
“I can’t possibly think where I could have been to be in front of him, but it’s just one of those things.”
The pair first crossed paths during Q2 when Tsunoda was on an out-lap and Lawson was setting a time. Tsunoda’s race engineer told him to let Lawson past, which he did at the exit of turn 11.
The situation was reversed on the next lap, when Lawson had slowed and Tsunoda was pushing. Lawson let Tsunoda past at the same point on the circuit.
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However Tsunoda accused Lawson of doing so in a way which was designed to disadvantage him. In comments which were largely censored on F1 TV, but broadcast on a delay on the world feed, Tsunoda said: “Lawson is disturbing me on purpose, like slowing down like hell in the corners.”
Afterwards Tsunoda maintained Lawson had intentionally held him up and said he believes it has happened before. “For Lawson it’s always [the] usual story,” he said, “it’s just, always do[ing] something on purpose.”
Tsunoda previously complained Lawson did not let him past when they left the pits together at the end of SQ1 yesterday. However at that time both were trying to reach the timing line in order to set a lap and Lawson was not required to let Tsunoda by.
Tsunoda was frustrated again at the end of Q2 when he encountered another of his former team mates – Pierre Gasly – at turn 15 on his final lap. He furiously criticised the Alpine driver after taking the chequered flag, but did move aside for him as he came past at turn six.
“Mate come on, what the fuck is that guy?” Tsunoda repeated. “Man, it’s just fucking blocking, bro,” he added. “What the fuck, report that man.”
The stewards did not investigate impeding by Gasly or Lawson on Tsunoda. They will start Sunday’s race together, Lawson 12th ahead of Tsunoda and Gasly.
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