Yuki Tsunoda’s Singapore GP Ordeal: Collision with Sergio Perez Leads to Early Exit

Yuki Tsunoda’s Singapore Grand Prix ended abruptly due to a collision with Sergio Perez, marking his second straight race without completing a lap. The incident resulted in significant damage to his AlphaTauri car.

Key Takeaways:

• Yuki Tsunoda and Sergio Perez collided on the first lap during the Singapore Grand Prix, leading to considerable damage on Tsunoda’s AlphaTauri.
• Despite the promising pace exhibited during practices and teammate Liam Lawson’s P9 finish, Tsunoda’s race ended prematurely due to the accident.
• This marks the second consecutive race Tsunoda failed to complete a lap, having encountered issues on the formation lap at the Italian Grand Prix.

The Singapore Grand Prix was yet another challenging weekend for Yuki Tsunoda. An early collision with Red Bull driver Sergio Perez forced Tsunoda to retire, compounding his recent series of unfortunate events on the track. During his post-race interview, Tsunoda expressed his frustration and the extent of the damage sustained.

“I had a good start and it is a shame how it ended up, it’s frustrating,” Tsunoda stated. “The sidepods are completely gone after the contact. There was a loss of aero and loss of grip on the [right] hand-side [meant I had to retire]. At least the car pace was good [throughout practice]. I feel bad and sorry for the team because I couldn’t extract performance, but I’ll just have to bounce back strongly in Suzuka.”

The incident at the Marina Bay Street Circuit is a vivid illustration of Tsunoda’s recent struggles. The severe aerodynamic disruption caused by the collision at Turn 5 was too much for his car to handle, leading to his early exit. His AlphaTauri team, however, showed signs of competitiveness, with temporary teammate Liam Lawson securing a ninth-place finish.

Tsunoda’s plight this season is further emphasized by his failure to complete even a single racing lap at the previous Grand Prix in Monza. However, the Japanese driver remains optimistic about his chances at the upcoming Grand Prix in Suzuka, his home race. He aims to use this opportunity to turn his fortunes around and deliver a strong performance to make up for the recent setbacks.