Yuki Tsunoda was in high spirits following the Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix after executing an unexpected one-stop strategy to finish ninth.
What a difference a day makes.
Saturday for Tsunoda was fraught with high stakes and high consequences as the Japanese driver pushed his RB in the Q3 top-10 shootout.
Ultimately Tsunoda found the limit in a scary incident during qualifying after running wide at Turn 5 and being vaulted into the barriers by a grass strip lining the track.
Still, starting from 10th on the grid, Tsunoda was able to extend his opening stint on medium tyres through to Lap 29, six shy of half-race distance, giving him the impetus to finish in ninth as the chequered flag fell.
“To be honest, we didn’t expect to do a one-stop,” a jubilant Tsunoda said post-race.
“I think, yeah, to be fair, we did a really good job with tyre management, and obviously, suggestions from the engineers and everything, we communicated well, and those things, in the end, played [out] very, very good.”
Tsunoda’s impressive drive was not only due to his equally praiseworthy tyre management, but the incredible efforts of his mechanics to rebuild his car after the scary shunt in qualifying.
Not only was the Japanese driver quick to praise RB’s team strategy, but also the team personnel who worked tirelessly to ensure his car was race-ready by Sunday afternoon at the Hungaroring.
“I’m very happy with my race and obviously big credit to the team and mechanics who repaired [the car] very fast and precisely overnight, without that I wouldn’t be here,” Tsunoda said.
“And, I mean, yeah, big thanks for them.”
Despite Tsunoda’s rightful praise of his RB team, it was a tale of two halves for the Faenza-based outfit at the Hungaroring.
Ricciardo, who started in ninth before losing two places at lights out was instructed by his team to pit on Lap 7 to cover the likes of Alex Albon and Kevin Magnussen.
The Australian was incensed post-race, knowing he had the opportunity to execute a race similar to Tsunoda’s.
“We would have had clear air and a chance to, I think from what I understand, do Yuki’s race [had we stayed out],” he said.
Riccairdo’s anger intensified when he didn’t get a post-race apology from his team.
“We had the pace and we basically gave Yuki the race that we had in front of us, and we both could have done that, and we didn’t.”
