Oscar Piastri and Yuki Tsunoda clash in Mexico City GP: 'Hard racing' or controversy?

As the race approached its thrilling conclusion, the two young talents collided in a dramatic showdown, leaving fans and experts alike to debate whether it was "hard racing" or something more contentious.

On Lap 48 of the race, Tsunoda, eager to secure eighth place, deployed his DRS (Drag Reduction System) to gain an advantage on the start/finish straight. However, Piastri held his ground, forcing Tsunoda to stay behind.

But Tsunoda was not one to give up easily. On the following lap, he made a second attempt to overtake Piastri, and that's when things got dicey. Contact between the two cars sent shock-waves through the paddock, with Tsunoda's AlphaTauri spinning out of contention and Piastri managing to regroup and ultimately claim eighth place.

In the aftermath of the incident, Piastri shared his perspective with the media. He described the collision as a result of "hard racing" but candidly admitted, "I'm not really sure what happened to me. I was just braking, and we touched wheels."

Meanwhile, Tsunoda chose to vent his frustration over the team radio in a message that remained inaudible to the public but was surely impassioned. When queried about the incident, he remained tight-lipped, saying, "I don't want to comment about these things. I think I already commented on it when I was driving."

Looking ahead, Tsunoda is setting his sights on the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, where he hopes for a more favourable outcome. He believes that the AT04, AlphaTauri's 2023 contender, will excel at the Sao Paulo circuit, known as the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace. The track's characteristics, featuring numerous slow-speed corners, align with the strengths of their car.

"We knew that [the track] suits us well here in [Mexico], in Brazil there could be some potential as there's a lot of slow-speed corners," Tsunoda noted optimistically. "So maybe there is a chance as well, but probably I don't expect as much as here, but still, I hope we will be in a place to fight for P10."

Formula 1 enthusiasts should mark their calendars for the next thrilling event on the horizon – the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. Scheduled for the weekend of November 3-5, this race will see the world's top drivers and teams compete over 71 laps on the 4.309-kilometre Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace in Brazil. The battle for supremacy continues, with fans eagerly anticipating the next chapter in the unfolding drama of the 2023 Formula 1 season.

 

Read More: Red Bull's Max Verstappen wins the Mexico City Grand Prix (planetsport.com)