F1 star lambasts 'ridiculous' Canadian Grand Prix grid penalty
Yuki Tsunoda has been relegated to the back of the grid for the Canadian Grand Prix after receiving a 10-place penalty for overtaking under red flag conditions.The Red Bull driver passed Oscar Piastri's damaged McLaren during Saturday's final practice session at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.The incident occurred after Piastri struck the Wall of Champions, causing significant damage to his car and prompting race control to halt the session.Despite Tsunoda's arguments that he was attempting to avoid debris from the Australian's stricken vehicle, stewards ruled his actions unjustifiable.Yuki Tsunoda was given the contentious 10-place grid penalty for the Canadian Grand PrixPAHaving qualified 11th, the penalty drops the Japanese driver to the rear of the starting grid.The incident unfolded when Piastri collided with the notorious Wall of Champions during FP3, showering the track with debris.The McLaren limped back towards the pits at 86kph whilst Tsunoda approached at 171kph."I saw Oscar was driving far left, and I understand that under the red flag, you can't overtake. But waiting for Oscar to pit, behind a damaged car, is just waiting for debris to hit me," Tsunoda explained.JUST IN: Inter Milan star to MISS Club World Cup after being left stranded in Iran following Isreali strikesOscar Piastri collided with the notorious Wall of Champions during FP3ReutersThe 25-year-old said he observed Piastri's tyre "going sideways" and feared it might detach. He checked for surrounding traffic before overtaking on the opposite side of the track.The stewards acknowledged Tsunoda's concerns about being struck by debris but ultimately dismissed his justification.READ MORE: Lionel Messi's Inter Miami match branded 'snooze fest' as revamped Club World Cup kicks offTheir ruling stated that whilst Piastri's car "had an obvious problem, it was not travelling at such a speed that it prevented Car 22 from following it at a safe distance."They concluded "there was no justifiable reason" for Tsunoda to have overtaken the damaged McLaren. The penalty mirrors the punishment given to Haas driver Ollie Bearman for a similar red flag infringement at Monaco.LATEST SPORTS NEWS:Yuki Tsunoda has blasted the decision as 'ridiiculous'Reuters"The 10-place grid penalty came out of nowhere to be honest, I didn't even expect to be summoned for that," Tsunoda said following qualifying.Tsunoda's frustration was palpable as he questioned the severity of the punishment: "Ten places is ridiculous for me. I don't know what they want me to do," the Red Bull driver said.He defended his decision to overtake at what he considered a "sensible speed of 170 kilometres per hour, half the speed of what we normally drive".The Japanese driver argued that remaining behind Piastri's damaged car would have exposed him to unnecessary danger."Apparently, they expect me to sit behind a car and wait to get hit," Tsunoda said."I don't think I deserve this penalty because debris was all over the place, not just the last corner."
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