Tsunoda suffers 10-place grid drop for F1 Canadian GP after overtake under red flag

Red Bull racer Yuki Tsunoda has received a 10-place grid penalty for Formula 1’s Canadian Grand Prix on Sunday.

The Japanese driver was penalised for passing Oscar Piastri under red flag conditions in third practice at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal. Piastri caused the red flag after suffering a puncture and suspension damage when he tapped the ‘wall of champions’ at the final chicane.

As championship leader Piastri trundled back to the pits in his McLaren, Tsunoda overtook him down the back straight approaching Turn 12. Tsunoda claimed that he was worried about being struck by debris coming from Piastri’s car following the incident.

However, the stewards took a dim view of Tsunoda move, which saw him skirt past the Australian at 171km/h while Piastri was only going 86km/h. 

An FIA statement read: “Having considered the matter extensively, the stewards determined that while Car 81 had an obvious problem, it was not travelling at such a speed that it prevented Car 22 from following it at a safe distance. 

“The circumstances were such that there was no justifiable reason for the driver of Car 22 to have overtaken Car 81.” 

Tsunoda, who has only scored four points since he was promoted to Red Bull from Racing Bulls at the Japanese Grand Prix in April, has also been issued with two penalty points on his superlicence.