Yuki Tsunoda managed to hold off seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton for eight laps to help Max Verstappen with his lead. The AlphaTauri driver says he would have liked to keep Hamilton behind for much longer.
Tsunoda started the Turkish Grand Prix from P9, Lewis Hamilton was behind him on P11 after changing his combustion engine. It didn't take long for the Brit to get behind Tsunoda's car, but the AlphaTauri driver didn't make it easy for him.
Hamilton eventually got past him on the outside of turn three. A few laps later Tsunoda spun in the difficult conditions. "I just used the tyres too much at the beginning in the duel with Hamilton", Tsunoda is quoted by Motorsport-Total.com. "It was really difficult to keep the pace. You can basically forget about the mirror. I couldn't see anything at all because it was full of dirt."
Tsunoda eventually finished fourteenth. "I just couldn't see anything. I thought I had a car behind me, so I wanted to turn. That ruined my race. We could have scored points today, but in this way it's a shame."
"It's the last year for Honda and I want Max [Verstappen] to win the title, for Honda and also for Red Bull", the 21-year-old driver explains. "I tried to keep Lewis behind me as long as possible." Whether he enjoyed the duel with Hamilton? "I don't care. I actually wanted to keep him behind me for twenty laps. Eight laps is not enough."
Really quite sad all these Max lovers... He hasn't actually done or achieved anything the fact max stated himself that even if he finishes second this season it's still a great season which it is but does show he is not that confident.. surprisingly after red bull cheating comments they have less power now just like Ferrari last season, quick word from the FIA nothing published not even to the other teams, having to oblige to adjustments from the FIA just like Ferrari last season and of course then they start pointing the finger to Mercedes having lost their edge. Ham/Bottas 1/2 in Austin
I guess it will take the world to beat Lewis Hamilton. Shamelss bunch
I don't understand why some people react so negative about Yuki defending himself againat HAM. First of all, it was a wet race so drivers skills are more important. You never know what happend so better defend your position. Second of all, in this kind of moments a young driver can put himself on a (positive) spotlight. Show to the rest of the world what you can do. He did show the world that he could defend himself with skills against HAM with a superieur car. Yes maybgo for that 1 point, but no one would remember that, this action will everybody remember. And to people that now saying; it's 4v1. Come on, don't be a child and grow up.
Yes Max can win the championship in not a much slower car as Stevesyd says.He is right up there with the pace
Lewis will take the title I'm afraid, for all those doubters, Lewis has a faster package now and also lot's more experience going into the last 6 races, Max has done an amazing job even if aggressive and dangerous at times... I understand people want change but you are witnessing a true champion doing what he does best weather you like him or not or you disagree with his diet? Max has never won a world championship and probably will win in the future but not this season ;)
now thats a great comment , Rory you spoke from the heart and as a sports fan with great insight and vision
Package plus skills matters. Looks like Max's maturity and racecraft will earn this years title. Hamilton will come under Massive pressure from Max, Media and Fans. His dream of 8th world title will remain as a dream. No offence against Hamilton, he's a good driver but MAX is from another planet altogether.
Not really sure where you have been in the last year's but maturity is definitely not a trait Max has in his toolbox he has been great, just this season with a better package but still naive and overaggressive which makes him dangerous at times. He is now worried about Mercedes overall speed and I can see him bottling it in the last races as he doesn't have the experience or won anything yet. I am not a Max hater or a Ham lover but fact's are facts and stats show it all. even as a rookie he took out Alonso and not in a Mercedes power unit era.
So the whole field is against LH? There are going to be a lot of disappointed faces come season end because LH is going to take his eighth!
Hamilton was 20 plus kms faster than Tsunoda still could not pass him easily. This was one of the mistakes Hamilton did in the race and great defence by Rookie.
captain at this point in the duel we cant afford to be going wheel to wheel with any one on the grid because we LH they can crash into us or do something and get bigger contracts for sabotage , we know who you are and what you will try to stop us getting number 8 see u at the front
Isn’t it refreshing to see a race that Hamilton didn’t win.I much prefer different winners makes it more enjoyable to watch.Hamilton is boring and whinges too much when things aren’t going his way all the time.Give somebody else a chance and retire.
I hear that Lewie has asked Toto to tell everyone at Mercedes to address him as "SUPER LEW" from now on.
??, not even his most loyal supporters have a name for him. They know deep down inside that his titles and wins are hollow. Schumacher=Kaiser Alonso=Magic Alonso Max=Super Max Raikkonen=Iceman Senna= Magic Senna Mansell= IL Leone Vettel=FingerBoy Hamilton=.0 = PapercHAMp
Tsunoda-san, in wishing to keep his ride, did more today than the entire year up to this point. Yeah Tsunoda-san is signed for next year however Red Bull can pull the pin at the drop of a cap... or bowler.
So red Bull and people moan about bottas sometimes trying to help Lewis out even though he doesn’t really help like in the last race, yet Hamilton has to fight against 4 cars who are all told to defend really hard against him lol.
Bottas is always behind Lewis lol. What are you on about ‘every time’. Even when he’s asked to help defend against max he just lets him through. A few races ago when Lewis needed to get passed be made it difficult for him. I don’t know what delusional, made up circumstances you’re on about lol.
Because people were tired to putting up with Lewish bulshit
what bulshit give Lh a break the media which ur grandfather owns hates LH , the fans hate Lh why like really do u hate his success or his dressing , or why kevin maybe i am missing something
Apart from Perez, which Hamilton never managed to overtake, Yuki was the driver who held him up the most. Gasly was of no help. Hamilton breezed past him within a lap. He also took out Alonso, who would otherwise have made Hamilton’s life very difficult to pass as well.
Conjecture. This wasn't Hungary where it is very difficult to overtake. I think Alonso's luck on lap 1 ran out today. Then he drove into Mick. That was poor from the vindictive egotistical hater who seems to be Marko's unpaid lapdog.
Is that what you learn in Islamabad? You need to get on your knees and kiss Alonso's feet before even mentioning his name. That's for starters.
That was great defence from Tsunoda. Helmut was counting on Gasly and Alonso, but Yuki turned out to be his hero and thanks to that Max was safe. Maybe he didn't score points for the team, but he took them from Hamilton. Great skills, shame about this puddle and spin. He would end with points probably.
what a shame hey the whole grid is against Hamilton , something smells fishy first it Alonso blocking him now tsunoda , i had a lot of respect for this young man but he just showed his true colours.whats funny is that all these guys blocking LH Will never win a grand Prix in their life let alone the championship. Please racers worry about ur race
Blocking him? Wtf is wrong with you nutcases? You expect racers to let that worthless pos past as if he's the queen or something? Red carpet treatment? You demented people!
Nobody wants me to win again, everyone hates my guts. Tsunoda did very well whilst he could. I need to thank Gasly for taking out Alonso, I would have had a nightmare trying to pass the Spanish God. I know Honda and RedBull won't be too happy with Gasly. Thanks frog!
6 points. In the lead Max is now the favorite of the World Championship. Lewis will try but I don't see him turning it around, RedBull have strong car and with AT and Pérez helping Vestappen ,if Lewis is not in pole then, its a tough race for him to get past 4 RedBull cars. Like I have been constantly saying Max will win this championship, all the help needed has been given.
Are you saying that SUPER MAX will win the championship despite a much slower car? Do you really think he is that good? Thats a big statement coming from a lewie worshiper.
The other guy will win, he has team of 4 vs 1 . You cheer on those odds.,so the reality is with that amount of assistance off course the other guy is favorite to win.
Where? *Like you were. I suggest you get some schooling. You're probably an Indian, quite typical.
Mate calm down, you sound like you where recently banned mate.
The other guy mate the one that needs help to get p2 ,and to win and to challenge for the championship, that guy,you know who I am talking about. He is part of team 4vs1 mate .
The afro one you mean? The one who gets craned out of the gravel traps? The one who gets his teammate to take out several cars? The one who get special care and attention from the Fia? The one who jumps straight into a championship winning car without showing his worth in midfield backmarker cars like EVERYBODY else? Who exactly are you talking about? The one who has won 80 races thanks to his ultra dominant machinery and ZERO competition?
Baby Max needs help to win!! Champ Lewis never had any help from anyone!! 7 times champion!! Something Max will NEVER be able to do or catch up!! Tsunoda You should be ashamed of yourself for hampering Lewis for Max!! You are truly a spoilt sport and a seriously bad sportsman!! You shouldn't be out there!! You are wasting the constructors money!!! Just BAD!!!
The other guy,mate the one that needs assistance for his results, you know that guy.
Hahaha The other guy you say? Do you find it hard to say SUPER MAX?
Are you blind the redbull is not as strong and the Mercedes, if botas can pull away from Max's like he did its not going to be easy for maxs
Bottas was running a smaller rear wing, that allowed him to rake advantage of the speed down the straights. MAX , with DRS down the straight, would have taken VB ,especially in the rain with generates more mechanical grip in the wet.
That Merc is looking extremely fast after the engine change, I'm not so sure Max can win this now...
Its 4vs1 on track mate, its hard yards when you have drivers throwing away their race strategy to just hold up Sir Lewis Hamilton. This week was disgusting, from Redbull and their fans cheer this on.
As a Ham fan, somehow I have to agree. RB is a strong team this year. AT is also not bad. If Ham somehow managed to win WC, it will be even sweeter.
Amazing how a commercial marketing stunt like Tsunoda can be taken seriously, can hardly complete a race weekend without crashing or spinning, and now he suddenly is hero for being a moving chicane. Lewis was just being cautious because he knew the kamikaze blood was flowing through Tsunoda for his future F1 drive, pleasing the RBR masters like, Flavio and Piquet Jnr, Singapore 2008 for Nando's win. Let's race fair.
He'll be racing in 2022 and you'll be watching him. How about you? What will you be doing that's worth mentioning?
I'm no sell out bro, sneaky RBR drivers gamging up o Lewis for Max, pathetic. Get in there Lewis
What do you think Aston Martin, Williams and McLaren are doing? Toto tells them what to do when needed. Those engines come at a price. Don't be fooled, fool!
Totally agree!! It has become a racist war!!! They have brought to F1…. This is disgusting!! How come mercedes didn't ask Mclaren to frustrate Max just because they have the same engine type!!! These are all stupid rich kids driving cars they have no idea about!! Lewis is an experienced and seasoned fantastic driver and they just cant take it!!! Disgusting behavior all round!!