Yuki Tsunoda and Sergio Perez were both defended by Daniel Ricciardo after their crashes in qualifying at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Perez was first to go off with a heavy crash at Turn 8 during Q1 — ensuring he will start no higher than 16th on Sunday — before Tsunoda (pictured above) ran wide at Turn 5 and was launched into the barrier in Q3. Ricciardo says his RB teammate’s crash was mainly down to the punishing track layout on the outside of that corner, with what he believes were small moments having significant outcomes.
“I have not seen Checo’s yet — I saw the aftermath, but I honestly don’t even know what corner he went off on,” Ricciardo said. “So I haven’t seen that one. I just saw Yuki’s now. So a few of us on Thursday — the few that do a track walk — saw that the edge drops a lot. And we thought if you drop off a wheel there, it’s going to just skateboard and do literally what it did.
“So there’s just no margin for error on that corner. It was a big one. I mean, I saw him get out, so I think he’s OK, but obviously it’s completely destroyed the car. So I don’t think that is the nicest kind of run-off that they’ve created for us.
“Look. we’re pushing, it’s Q3. I’m not making an excuse for Yuki but that corner you just have no margin. You drop a wheel there and it’s game over. So that was that. And then Checo’s, I know that was probably when it was still a little bit damper, and these conditions you’ve got to send it and put it all on the line and small mistakes obviously have big consequences.
“So there’s a lot of pressure on, not only us as Red Bull right now but everyone in that situation. So everyone has moments but when you cross the line sometimes you’re just like, ‘Thank you!’”
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The focus on both drivers was due to speculation surrounding Perez’s future, with Red Bull understood to be set to analyze the situation during the summer break. With Ricciardo himself looking uncertain to remain with RB, he says he had given the next two rounds added importance.
“I haven’t been told anything, but I’ve told myself if I can do it, go fast. You’ve got two races to give it hell. And that’s honestly not even with the idea of moving up, it’s even just trying to lock something in for next year.
“I intentionally came into the weekend telling myself that these two races could be two of the most important of not only my season but potentially my career. They haven’t specifically said anything to me but I’ve said enough to myself.”
For his part, Tsunoda thinks it was a combination of aspects that led to him going off track when on another occasion he could have continued with his lap.
“I felt, ‘Why didn’t it turn?’” Tsunoda said. “I didn’t feel like I was going to run wide there. Probably because I was on the limit in Q3, half of the tire went on the grass, but probably because it was wet it kind of exaggerated it and went wide.
“Until that corner, the lap felt great. I’m sorry because everyone in the team and myself deserve a higher position for all the work we’ve done. The car felt great, and the lap was solid, and I reckon it could’ve put us in a great position for tomorrow.”