Yuki Tsunoda of Visa Cash App RB in the paddock during the Sprint ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of United States at Circuit of The Americas on October 19, 2024 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Peter Fox - Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images)
Yuki Tsunoda expressed disappointment with VCARB’s strategy call during the 2024 US Grand Prix, claiming he was surprised by the team’s decision to bring him in early for a tire change. Speaking to the media including Sportskeeda, Tsunoda explained that his performance on the medium tires was improving when the team unexpectedly called him into the pits after just 18 laps.
While most drivers extended their medium tire stints to around 25-26 laps with some running more than 30 laps on the hard tires, Tsunoda’s early stop dropped him from a competitive seventh or eighth position, ahead of Sergio Perez and Haas drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen, down to 15th place. This left him stuck in traffic on the hard tires which were difficult to optimize in the dirty air, further hindering his progress.
