Red Bull F1 star hit by late FIA demotion following....read more

Red Bull F1 star hit by late FIA demotion following….read more

Red Bull Formula 1 driver Yuki Tsunoda has been hit with a late penalty that will see him start the Spanish Grand Prix from the pit lane. The decision came following an announcement from the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile) after what had already been a disappointing qualifying session for the Japanese driver.

Tsunoda, who races for Red Bull’s sister team, had a rough outing during Saturday’s qualifying session in Barcelona. He failed to advance beyond the first qualifying segment (Q1), and to make matters worse, he recorded the slowest lap time of the entire 20-car field. This performance left him at the back of the grid even before the FIA’s penalty came into play.

The FIA’s ruling means that Tsunoda won’t even get to take his place at the back of the grid when the lights go out at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Instead, he must begin the race from the pit lane, a further setback that makes his Sunday task significantly more difficult. The governing body has not disclosed the specific reasons behind this late change, but such penalties are usually handed down due to either a parc fermé infringement—meaning unauthorized changes were made to the car after qualifying—or as a result of technical irregularities.

Although starting from last position on the grid would have already been a challenge, starting from the pit lane is generally considered worse. Cars beginning from the pit lane must wait for the entire field to pass the pit exit at the race start before they are allowed to join the race. This puts the driver at an immediate disadvantage in terms of track position and time.

The 25-year-old Tsunoda has shown flashes of potential during the current F1 season and has steadily grown into his role within the Red Bull setup. However, this latest penalty adds to an already tough weekend and makes it nearly impossible for him to aim for points in Sunday’s race. He will need to rely on strategy, safety cars, and tire management if he hopes to recover some ground during the Grand Prix.

The Spanish Grand Prix has historically been a difficult track for overtaking, and Tsunoda’s demotion to the pit lane will only heighten the challenge. While starting from the rear can sometimes offer an opportunity for aggressive strategy calls and clean air, the pit lane start places Tsunoda in an even more compromised position.

As a result, what was already a disappointing weekend for Tsunoda has now turned into an uphill battle.