On Saturday afternoon, the Miami Grand Prix Sprint Race proved that overtaking is a very tough feat on a fast, narrow track.
Daniel Ricciardo’s 4th-place finish proved that slower cars can hold up their faster rivals if driven correctly, as Carlos Sainz’s thumbs up as they crossed the chequered flag highlighted.
It makes qualifying even more important, and commentating on the race for Sky Sports F1, Martin Brundle and David Croft noticed one driver who may have compromised one of his rival’s efforts.
The problem that many drivers faced on their flying laps was heading into turn 17 at the end of the long back straight.
Drivers were going very slowly into the left-hand hairpin to set themselves up for their flying lap but that ultimately spoiled several racer’s efforts to set their fastest times.
Martin Brundle was left unimpressed by Yuki Tsunoda in Miami as he parked his car on the inside of the corner while Logan Sargeant was trying to set his fastest time.
The £15,000-a-week driver was coming into the session on a high after earning a point in the Sprint Race.
The American driver he impeded, on the other hand, is feeling the pressure after being out-qualified by teammate Alex Albon once again.
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Martin Brundle stunned by Yuki Tsunoda in Miami Grand Prix qualifying
Sprint Races haven’t got the best reputation among Formula 1 fans although they are a lot more interesting than another practice session.
However, the race on Saturday had some big talking points that involved both Visa Cash App RB cars.
Daniel Ricciardo held onto 4 after a brilliant qualifying lap the day before and scored his first points of the season.
A tense battle between Lewis Hamilton and Kevin Magnussen eventually saw Tsunoda benefit and while Hamilton did overtake him before the chequered flag, a penalty he picked up for speeding in the pit lane handed the Japanese driver the final point.
Unfortunately for Ricciardo, he exited in Q1 for the main Grand Prix and his three-place grid penalty picked up in China means he’ll start last.
He’ll be racing Logan Sargeant at the beginning of the Miami Grand Prix because the American believes Tsunoda ruined his lap and Brundle wasn’t particularly impressed by what he saw from the RB driver.
However, Tsunoda avoided a penalty and managed to secure another top-ten start as he aims to add to his points tally.
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Logan Sargeant has more work to do as rumours surrounding his F1 future intensify
Sargeant was only a tenth slower than Alex Albon in Q1 but that was the difference between finishing outside the top 15 and entering Q2.
He felt his lap was impeded by Tsunoda and said on the radio: “Mate, what was that! Mate, did you see that? [Yuki] Tsunoda ruined me!”
David Croft added: “He was rather in the way, that’s not where you want to park your car.”
Brundle then suggested: “He did cover off the apex Tsunoda, didn’t he? The optimum sort of entry to the apex there.”
Croft explained: “If you were hurtling at 209mph Martin, and you saw Yuki Tsunoda there? I don’t think you’d be overly keen on it either.”
Brundle gave his final verdict on Tsunoda’s antics at the hairpin in Miami and said: “No you wouldn’t, it’s worse than that as you don’t know what he’s going to do next. You can see him there, but has he seen you coming or not, so you have to hesitate.”
There has been a small uptick in Sargeant’s form in Miami but that hasn’t stopped rumours circling about his immediate future.
Jenson Button – who works as an advisor for Williams – believes he’ll be with the team for the rest of the season.
Kimi Antonelli is his most likely replacement and he’s been impressing in his recent private F1 tests.
The prospects of Sargeant being on the grid in 2025 are slim right now even if he’s not in danger of being immediately replaced.
A strong first home race of the season is exactly what Sargeant needs right now.
The post ‘It’s worse’: Martin Brundle left stunned by £15k-a-week driver who ruined one rival’s qualifying in Miami appeared first on F1 Oversteer.