F1: Tsunoda receives F1 grid drop for blocking Bottas

Yuki Tsunoda has received a three-place grid penalty for impeding Valtteri Bottas in qualifying for the Formula 1 Styrian Grand Prix on Saturday.

Tsunoda said after qualifying that he had not been told by his team that Bottas was approaching until the braking zone and wanted to avoid a “big shunt” by moving to the inside.

But the race stewards in Austria looked dimly on the incident, handing Tsunoda a three-place grid penalty for impeding Bottas and one penalty point on his FIA super license.

“Car 22 had just completed a fast lap and had communication from the team that he was now on an in-lap,” the stewards’ report reads.

“The team did not warn Car 22 of the approach of Car 77 on a fast lap. Car 77 approached Car 22 at the entry to Turn 4. Car 22 was on the racing line, and while he attempted to move off the racing line to the outside, he did impede car 77 unnecessarily.