Yuki Tsunoda, the AlphaTauri driver, vented his frustration towards his team after being urged to increase his pace during treacherous conditions in the Monaco Grand Prix.
The race began under dry conditions, which persisted throughout the first half. However, as predicted by several teams, rain eventually arrived, leading to the deployment of intermediate tires. McLaren’s Lando Norris, benefiting from the tire choice, relentlessly pursued Tsunoda for ninth place.
In an attempt to motivate the Japanese racer, his race engineer suggested he push harder in the braking zones. Tsunoda responded angrily, saying, “I know but this brake sucks!” Despite the response, his race engineer persisted, leading Tsunoda to retort, “Are you trying to crash me or what?”
Norris eventually overtook Tsunoda, causing him to drop further down the field. His struggles were exacerbated when he ran off into the run-off area at Mirabeau. Following the race, Tsunoda elaborated on the braking issue, which he claimed was exacerbated by the wet weather.
“I struggled the whole week; in dry conditions, it was okay, but when the rain started, the brake issue got exaggerated,” he explained. “I couldn’t do anything, and the pace was really bad. It was really hard, and I just had to back off a lot to not crash. At least I didn’t damage my car, but it was really tricky to handle.”
Tsunoda further described his experience behind the wheel of the AT04 in wet conditions, feeling like “a passenger.” He also expressed frustration at the twist of fate that unfolded during the race, stating it was difficult to accept. However, he acknowledged the positive aspects of the weekend and vowed to reset and focus on the upcoming race in Barcelona.
Jody Egginton, the Technical Director of AlphaTauri, referred to the end of the race as “super frustrating,” as both Tsunoda and Nyck de Vries seemed to be in strong positions before encountering issues.
“Everything was going to plan for Yuki; his pace was good, and he was able to manage tire graining,” Egginton said. “In the dry portion of the race, both cars were reasonably well-placed regardless of whether it rained or not. The rain came, and we boxed both cars on the same lap for inters, which was the right call.”
However, Tsunoda immediately faced braking issues that persisted despite adjustments. This inconsistency hindered his ability to push during braking phases, resulting in a decline in lap times and allowing the McLarens to overtake him. Furthermore, Tsunoda went off the track. Although Nyck de Vries was less affected by the braking issue and showed good progress on the intermediate tires, he couldn’t secure any points, a challenging feat in Monaco.
Egginton acknowledged the promising pace of the car in qualifying and during the dry part of the race but expressed disappointment in not being able to capitalize on the potential points. The team now aims to address the braking issues and further understand the aero update as they prepare for the next race in Barcelona.
The Monaco Grand Prix marked the first time Tsunoda finished a race behind his rookie AlphaTauri teammate, Nyck de Vries, who crossed the finish line in twelfth place.
