F1, Alpha Tauri statement arrives after controversy over Tsunoda case

Tsunoda is defended by a statement

The Japanese driver on the Alpha Tauri team got into the controversy after retiring in the Dutch Grand Prix. The main accusation came from Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff: “If the world championship was at stake, I would have asked to see us better.”

Wolff’s statements relate specifically to Tsunoda’s pit stop re-entry, which occurred on lap 44 of the Dutch Grand Prix. The driver, who had to pit twice in a row because of his seatbelt, a problem that also led to a post-race penalty, pulled out during the race, leaving his car at the side of the track. That episode led to a virtual safety car that would have favored Max Verstappen.

In this regard, the Italian team wanted to quash any criticism with a harsh statement, “It is incredibly disheartening to read some of the epithets and comments directed at our team and towards Red Bull strategy chief Hannah Schmitz. Such disparaging behavior cannot be tolerated and to conceive of accusations of misbehavior is unacceptable, disingenuous and completely disrespectful to both Hannah and us. We have always participated in competitions independently, fairly and with the highest level of respect and sportsmanship. Yuki had a technical problem that the team did not immediately identify and that forced him to stop at the track. To suggest anything different is an insult and is deeply wrong.”