Clash of Opinions: Tsunoda and Stroll Debate Over Blame for Azerbaijan GP Collision

Yuki Tsunoda and Lance Stroll disagreed on who was at fault for their collision during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Yuki Tsunoda criticized Lance Stroll for his "unnecessary" maneuver on the first lap of the F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Tsunoda and Stroll came into contact during the first lap of the race in Baku on Sunday.

Stroll made a last-minute dive at Tsunoda, leading to a slight collision.

The crash led to significant harm to the side of Tsunoda's vehicle, forcing an early withdrawal from the race after a rapid descent through the ranks.

Stroll experienced a similar incident, suffering a tire puncture during the event.

Reflecting on the event, Tsunoda questions Stroll's aggressive move, expressing uncertainty about what Stroll hoped to achieve.

"Tsunoda expressed his displeasure, noting it was disappointing to encounter such issues in consecutive races," he commented post-race. "It was a brief race, and though scoring points could have been challenging, anything is possible in street races."

Beginning from the 12th position is clearly not optimal, as it increases the chances of sustaining damage. We must improve slightly and secure a position within the top 10 for a more advantageous start. Regarding the on-track incident, it appeared to be an avoidable action on his [Stroll's] part.

"He went for it with a reckless abandon. I couldn't see what his advantage would be, but I had no intention of letting him walk over me. It's unfortunate, not the conclusion I had hoped for in my race, but we're determined to make a strong return in Singapore."

Stroll regretted the lap 1 tire blowout before ultimately withdrawing in the final laps due to a problem with the brake pedal.

In Azerbaijan, the Aston Martin showed impressive speed, with Fernando Alonso finishing in sixth place.

Stroll recounted, "The collision with Tsunoda on the initial lap essentially ended my race. I attempted an inside pass – it's unclear whether he noticed me – but he cut me off, leading to a pit stop for a tire puncture. It's common for intense racing to lead to incidents like this early on, but unfortunately, it put us at a disadvantage for the remainder of the race."

"With nine laps remaining, I began to notice a problem with the brake pedal, and it seemed to deteriorate every lap. Given the nature of this track and our position far from scoring any points, it was logical to withdraw the car from the race. It's been a challenging weekend, but I'm eager to move on to Singapore.”

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