RB driver Yuki Tsunoda took responsibility for a late mistake in the Canadian Grand Prix, where a lockup caused him to run wide and spin, ruining his chances for a points finish.
In the closing stages of the race, it looked like RB was on for a double-points finish in Canada, as both Tsunoda and teammate Daniel Ricciardo were running inside the top ten.
With less than five laps remaining, Tsunoda—who was running ninth—made a late mistake, locking up and spinning across the grass at Turn 8. He ended up facing the wrong way in the middle of the track, with drivers, including Nico Hulkenberg, having to take evasive action to avoid a collision. The error proved costly, as Tsunoda dropped out of the points and down to fourteenth.
“It was my mistake,” a dejected Tsunoda admitted afterwards. “I had a lockup and that’s it.
“Yeah, the strategy went well. I was pretty disappointed how I ended up. It’s not the way I should finish. It was the race that…just bring the car back home. A shame.”
Tsunoda praised the team for their strategic gamble, after he stayed out for 44 laps on one set of intermediates before making a switch to mediums, allowing him to run as high as seventh, before Stroll and Ocon passed him.
“That was definitely a good decision and the team did a good job for that. It was not easy but until then I was feeling okay with the inter. I think also the call we made to change the dry tyre was also pretty good.”
Tsunoda remains 10th in the Drivers’ Championship, but Aston Martin’s double points finish in Canada means the gap between Lance Stroll and the Japanese driver has been reduced to just two points. RB is currently sixth in the standings with 28 points, and will no doubt be aiming to chase down Aston Martin for 5th as the season continues.
