The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix will live in the memories of Formula 1 fans for the touching tributes to Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger rather than the action on the track.
Lando Norris did his best to make the race interesting in the final few laps, cutting the gap to eventual winner Max Verstappen to less than a second, but the Dutchman had enough in the tank to add another 25 points to his tally.
Karun Chandhok was commentating on the race for Sky Sports F1 (19/5 2:22pm) and found a few drivers to highlight during an uneventful Grand Prix.
The commentary line that there was a ‘100% chance’ of a safety car never came to pass which impacted the strategy of several drivers.
Sergio Perez provided a decent recovery drive and Lance Stroll returned to the points for the first time since Australia and broke an interesting record as a result.
However, Chandhok wanted to highlight the continued good form of Visa Cash App RB driver Yuki Tsunoda at Imola.
He was fantastic in qualifying, despite being frustrated he didn’t start higher than 7, and once again added to his points tally.
Although he’s never won an F1 race – or even finished on the podium – he continues to put himself in the shop window for a better seat in 2025.
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Karun Chandhok hails Yuki Tsunoda after the Imola Grand Prix
If there’s one person in the paddock who wasn’t too impressed with Yuki Tsunoda at the end of the race, it was Max Verstappen.
The Dutchman berated his fellow Red Bull driver for impacting his race in the final laps as he tried to hold off Norris.
However, the 26-year-old held on while Tsunoda was trying to cling to a position of his own.
RB were well aware heading into the Grand Prix that their one-lap pace was much better than their long runs.
It meant Tsunoda had to open up the biggest gap possible with his teammate and both Haas cars trying to chase him down.
The Japanese driver got the better of Nico Hulkenberg during the only round of pit stops handing him the advantage.
Where each driver shuffled into the pack made a huge difference with overtaking so difficult on the narrow circuit.
Karun Chandhok wanted to hail Tsunoda’s entire weekend at Imola including finishing in the top three in one practice session.
The Monaco Grand Prix next weekend will be a very different prospect, with Tsunoda yet to score a point in the principality.
Yuki Tsunoda one of 2024’s most in-form F1 drivers
Lead commentator Harry Benjamin said during the first round of pit stops: “[Yuki] Tsunoda’s just coming onto the main straight now, as [Nico] Hulkenberg, a 2.5-second pit stop, so it’s OK, it’s not the fastest we’ve seen.
“Out of the pit lane, there is Yuki Tsunoda, side-by-side action and Tsunoda makes the job stick and gets through on Nico Hulkenberg!
“RB and the strategy working on, pitting before Nico Hulkenberg in the Haas has seen Tsunoda get back in front of the German driver.”
Chandhok added: “Great job by the Japanese driver, he’s been on fire all weekend and this has unleashed him.
“Yuki Tsunoda, finished 7 in Miami last time, finished 7 here at Imola last time we raced here in 2022 and at the moment on course for some more points.”
There are still 17 races left in the 2024 season but already it feels as though drivers are under pressure to sort out their futures beyond this year.
Chandhok’s comments will be echoed by those in the RB garage after Tsunoda’s performance at Imola.
With Liam Lawson almost guaranteed a seat next year, it’s hard to look past the 23-year-old to join him unless another team makes an approach.
That leaves Daniel Ricciardo in a difficult spot, but as is always the case in Formula 1, things can change very quickly.
The post ‘Great job’: Karun Chandhok hails 0-win driver who was ‘on fire all weekend’ during Imola GP appeared first on F1 Oversteer.
