Red Bull F1 star hit by late FIA demotion at Spanish GP after a su

Red Bull F1 stars hit by late FIA demotion at Spanish GP after a suspicious…read more

Red Bull Racing’s Yuki Tsunoda has been hit with a significant setback ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix, as the FIA has ruled that he must start the race from the pit lane due to late modifications made to his car. The decision came after the team introduced changes to Tsunoda’s RB21 under parc fermé conditions—regulations that tightly restrict adjustments to the car after qualifying.

Among the changes made was the installation of a new rear wing, which breaches the strict rules governing car modifications once the cars are in parc fermé. These rules are in place from the time qualifying ends until the race begins, ensuring teams cannot make performance-altering adjustments without facing penalties. As a result of the infringement, the FIA ruled that Tsunoda will not be allowed to take his position on the starting grid and must instead begin the race from the pit lane.

While starting from the very back might appear to be a disadvantage, a pit-lane start does offer some strategic opportunities. Tsunoda and the Red Bull team may hope that the last-minute changes will improve the car’s performance enough to allow him to fight his way through the field over the course of the race.

This development means that only 18 cars will be lining up on the official grid for Sunday’s race. Aston Martin had already announced that their Canadian driver, Lance Stroll, would not be participating due to an ongoing injury concern. With Stroll absent and Tsunoda beginning from the pit lane, the rear of the grid will feature two empty slots as the race gets underway.

The pit-lane start is a tough break for Tsunoda, who has shown flashes of strong performance this season. Red Bull is undoubtedly hoping that the changes made under parc fermé, although costly in terms of starting position, will ultimately pay dividends during the race itself. The team will be relying on Tsunoda’s racecraft and any strategic flexibility afforded by the pit-lane start to help recover positions on the track.

Despite the setback, Tsunoda’s demotion highlights the tightrope teams walk in Formula 1 between optimizing car performance and adhering to the sport’s strict technical regulations. Sunday’s race will now be even more challenging for the Japanese driver, but also provides an opportunity to demonstrate resilience and skill under pressure.

Fans will be watching closely to see how Tsunoda handles the challenge, and whether Red Bull’s gamble on performance upgrades will turn into a reward by the time the checkere

d flag falls.