Yuki Tsunoda during the United States Grand Prix - Photo: Race Pictures

Tsunoda calls out Lawson after quali disappointment in COTA

02:12, 19 Oct

bySamson Ero

Yuki Tsunoda aired his frustration with Liam Lawson following his Q2 exit at the United States Grand Prix qualifying.

“It's him. I don't care about him, to be honest.”

- Yuki Tsunoda on Liam Lawson

The Red Bull Racing driver, who spoke to GPblog after the session at the Circuit of the Americas, expressed his frustration with the Racing Bulls driver. Tsunoda also explained that without the interference, he would have advanced to the final stage of qualifying.

“Lawson, it's always the usual story; he just always does something on purpose, you know, bull***.”

“It's him. I don't care about him, to be honest. It's more like the Alpine was just literally in the way, and I don't know what happened there. Maybe miscommunication from their side, it just seems like it went out at the last minute, the last second, so I just lost a lot of lap time there."

Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson during the US Grand Prix qualifying - Photo: Race Pictures

“I think without that, I would have been in Q3. So far, I just can't have a normal qualifying; it's really frustrating, but it is what it is.”

During his push lap in Q2, Tsunoda took to the radio to express frustration with Lawson, suggesting the Racing Bulls driver appeared to be driving too slowly to impede his lap. Tsunoda would eventually qualify for the race in Austin in 13th place, behind Lawson in 12th.

Tsunoda on progress made in COTA

Tsunoda also weighed in on the progress made through the United States Grand Prix weekend so far. The Red Bull driver highlighted how his final run in qualifying felt particularly good until he ran into traffic.

“The last lap felt pretty good from the car and everything. Just a shame with that last lap. It was just, lack of a push laps from yesterday, and I was able to cover until the last moment on the last push lap. I was feeling good until the traffic.”

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