Yuki Tsunoda's chances of winning the Brazilian Grand Prix were quickly dashed after he was given a ten-second time penalty. The stewards deemed the Japanese driver guilty of the incident with Lance Stroll, meaning there was no more than a 15th place finish.
According to the stewards, Tsunoda was completely wrong and braked far too late. "He [Stroll] was not looking at all [at] the back mirror, he just drove a normal line. It was a risky move but I didn’t have any lock-up in the first but, then had a little bit of lock-up as I realised he was not looking at all."
The 21-year-old driver said: "It’s a shame, the move was there. A 10-second penalty is absolutely, I mean… okay, five-seconds [would] still be harsh but okay, but 10 seconds is really ridiculous for me. But it is what it is and I have to improve next time.”
In addition to the time penalty, Tsunoda was also credited with two points on his racing license. That now brings him to six points. A suspension follows if a driver manages to accumulate 12 penalty points within 12 months.