Yuki Tsunoda given 10-place grid penalty for Canada red flag breach
14th June 2025Red Bull Racing’s Yuki Tsunoda has been given a 10-place grid penalty for the Canadian Grand Prix for overtaking under red flags in Free Practice 3.
Feature image credit: Getty Images // Red Bull Content Pool
Tsunoda will have to serve a 10-place grid penalty, taken from his qualifying position at the Canadian GP. It was deemed that the Japanese driver had breached the international sporting code by overtaking under red flags.
Ahead of qualifying, the pack ventured out for the final hour of practice at the Canadian Grand Prix, but it was later stopped after McLaren’s Oscar Piastri tapped the iconic Wall of Champions.
The contact shattered the wheel hub and resulted in a puncture for the Australian driver. As a result of the debris, the session was red flagged to allow the Marshals to clear the circuit.
The Australian was able to limp back to the pit lane without further damage to his McLaren and returned to the track shortly after it resumed. However, Tsunoda encountered the limping McLaren on his way back to the pits and decided to overtake.
The Stewards heard that Tsunoda was worried about debris striking him as he followed the McLaren and proceeded to pass the McLaren. It was found that Piastri was limping back at a speed of 86kph, and the Red Bull driver overtook at a speed of 171kph.
It was reported that the Stewards had considered the matter, and whilst Piastri had a clear problem, but they deemed there was ‘no justifiable reason’ for Tsunoda to have overtaken the McLaren.
In the Steward’s report, they said:
“Car 81 (Piastri) had earlier collided with the barrier at the exit of turn 14 and damaged the rear right wheel and sustained a puncture and suspension damage. A red flag was displayed when Car 22 was at turn 6. Car 22 reduced speed at that point. After turn 12, Car 22 was approaching Car 81 on the back straight.
“The driver of Car 22 said that he saw Car 81 travelling slowly on the left side of the track with obvious damage. He said that he was worried that he might be struck by debris from Car 81 and decided to overtake. Telemetry showed that Car 81 was travelling at 86kph when Car 22 overtook at a speed of 171kph.
“Having considered the matter extensively, the Stewards determined that while Car 81 had an obvious problem, it was not travelling at such a speed that it prevented Car 22 from following it at a safe distance. The circumstances were such that there was no justifiable reason for the driver of Car 22 to have overtaken Car 81.”
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Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.
I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.
Kamron Kent
Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.
