Yuki Tsunoda has received his first official reprimand of the 2025 Formula 1 season after an incident in Bahrain, where he overtook a car in the pit lane during Friday’s free practice session.
A Rocky Start at Red Bull
Tsunoda, who was promoted to the main Red Bull team just a week earlier at the Japanese Grand Prix, had a forgettable FP1 in Bahrain. Not only was he beaten on the timing sheets by Liam Lawson—the man he recently replaced—but he also attracted the attention of the stewards for questionable behavior in the pit lane.
During the session, Tsunoda overtook Alex Albon in the pit lane, a move which has now resulted in a formal reprimand by the FIA.
Confusion and Errors
In an awkward moment earlier in the same session, Tsunoda mistakenly drove past the Red Bull pit box and headed toward his former Racing Bulls team’s garage, indicating a degree of confusion during his transition to the senior team.
FIA Issues Verdict
After reviewing video evidence, data, and hearing from both drivers and team representatives, the stewards reached a verdict. The FIA explained, “The driver of Car 22 stated that he saw Car 23 leaving its garage and felt that if he braked to avoid it, he could lock up and hit the rear of the car.”
While the explanation was acknowledged and the stewards agreed that Albon’s car had not been released unsafely, they concluded that Tsunoda should have backed off rather than overtaking.
The FIA reiterated the rule, stating, “It has been made clear, especially in recent events, that overtaking in the pit lane is prohibited unless there are extraordinary circumstances, and this situation is not considered as such.”
Familiar Struggles for Red Bull’s Second Seat
Tsunoda’s debut race for Red Bull at Suzuka yielded no points, although he finished ahead of Lawson. However, Isack Hadjar managed to place in the points, outperforming both.
Red Bull currently sits third in the constructors’ standings. Yet, all their championship points so far have come from a single driver, echoing last year’s struggles with Sergio Perez failing to consistently support Max Verstappen.
Despite Verstappen securing the drivers’ title early in 2024, the lack of team support cost Red Bull the constructors’ championship, which ultimately went to McLaren after impressive and balanced contributions from Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.