RB F1 team “in better place” after addressing Tsunoda tensions

Tsunoda was asked to let Ricciardo past in the closing laps as the Australian was on fresh soft tyres, and potentially in a position to challenge the cars ahead.

Tsunoda queried the call and was reluctant to comply, but he eventually did, and then frustrated to see that Ricciardo didn’t make any further progress. After the flag he made his feelings clear by passing Ricciardo and swerving towards him on the cooldown lap.

Team principal Laurent Mekies tried to calm things down by getting the drivers together and talking through what had transpired.

Ricciardo says the prompt action has left the team in a stronger position than it was previously as the air was quickly cleared.

“What happened at the end of the race, yes, it wasn’t great,” he said. “But actually then two hours later, how we walked out of that meeting, I think actually that put the team in a better place than it was even Saturday morning.

“I think the race situation is something that happened, drivers never like team orders. So a driver maybe doesn’t react straight away, it’s not the first time that’s ever happened. I think that was all pretty clear.

“I think it was important for us to talk about that, but then also the in-lap, just to kind of be clear that even if it’s heat of the moment, these things can have bigger consequences.

“We talked, personally, privately, doors closed, very openly, transparently. So it was the right thing for us to do. And we left Saturday night, feeling like it’s done.”

Asked by Autosport if it was the first time there had been tension with Tsunoda since they became team-mates in the second half of 2023, Ricciardo said: “We only had a few races, but I think it was all pretty smooth last year.

“I say last year as if ‘Okay, well, this year, there’s going to be problems.’ Obviously, there was that little thing on the weekend.

“But I think if we didn’t address it, and he kind of stomped off and left the track and whatever, then okay, you’d say, alright, this is an issue. But I think we were both very willing to sit in a room together and just talk it through. So I think that was important.”

Ricciardo admitted Tsunoda’s move on the in-lap came as a surprise.

“It did, and that’s why obviously I came on the radio,” he said. “I was like, ‘Alright, what the hell’s going on here?’ I said a few things, but I tried to also stop myself, because I know everything gets…