Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff expressed his dissatisfaction with Yuki Tsunoda, holding him accountable for an impeding incident that led to Lewis Hamilton’s unexpected exit from Q2 during Dutch GP qualifying.
Hamilton found himself in a challenging position during Q2, needing to deliver a final push lap to secure a spot in Q3 and a better grid position for the Dutch Grand Prix. Unfortunately, Hamilton was unable to improve his time and is slated to start the race from P13.
Wolff pointed to an incident involving Yuki Tsunoda as a pivotal factor in Hamilton’s disappointing Q2 result. Both Tsunoda and Lance Stroll were investigated by the stewards for potentially impeding Hamilton during his flying laps. However, the focus of Wolff’s frustration was the Tsunoda incident, which he believes played a significant role in Hamilton’s exit.
The stewards ultimately penalized Tsunoda with a three-place grid penalty for his role in the impeding incident. In contrast, no further action was taken against Stroll.
Wolff lamented the missed opportunity for both Mercedes cars to compete at the front of the grid, noting that the team’s pace had been strong throughout the weekend. He emphasized that the session’s outcome was a combination of factors, including potentially being too close to Lando Norris on track.
However, the main concern for Wolff was the impeding incident involving Tsunoda during Hamilton’s quickest lap. He described the incident as a “disaster” for the team, as it prevented Hamilton from having a clear and unhindered flying lap at the end of the session.
Wolff highlighted the importance of having a clean and unobstructed final lap during Q2, which was crucial for securing a better grid position. He indicated that Hamilton’s inability to have that opportunity due to the impeding incident significantly contributed to his exit from Q2.
As the Dutch Grand Prix approaches, the Mercedes team will regroup and strategize to make the most of the race, aiming to make up positions and secure valuable points despite the challenges encountered during qualifying.
