Red Bull Racing faced a turbulent outing at their home track in Austria, as the FIA dealt the team a significant setback with a double penalty during a chaotic Grand Prix. The trouble began immediately when reigning World Champion Max Verstappen was forced to retire after a crash on the very first lap, dealing a massive blow to the team’s hopes. As if that weren’t enough, teammate Yuki Tsunoda, who recently joined Red Bull’s senior team, was later penalized following an incident during the race that capped off a weekend to forget.
The Austrian Grand Prix took a sharp turn for Red Bull early on, with Verstappen’s sudden crash effectively ending the team’s bid for a strong finish in front of home fans. Tsunoda, meanwhile, battled through the race but never found his rhythm, struggling for pace and ultimately finishing 16th — the last of the classified finishers. It was a disappointing outcome for a driver trying to prove himself at the top level of the sport.
Tsunoda’s woes deepened during a late-race clash with Alpine driver Franco Colapinto. Attempting a daring move on Lap 31 at Turn 4, Tsunoda misjudged his overtake and collided with Colapinto, damaging his front wing and forcing an extra pit stop. The FIA reviewed the incident and determined Tsunoda was fully responsible for the crash, citing that he had not properly positioned his car to claim the corner.
As punishment, Tsunoda received a 10-second time penalty, which did not alter his race position but underscored his difficult performance. More importantly, he was given two penalty points on his FIA super licence, increasing his tally to four. This marks a troubling development for the young driver and adds to Red Bull’s growing concerns about race discipline and driver management.
Despite the disastrous weekend, there was a sliver of good news: two of Verstappen’s previous penalty points expired, slightly easing the pressure on his licence, which now stands at nine points. Still, the incident-heavy Austrian Grand Prix served as a reality check for Red Bull, showing that even dominant teams can falter. The team now faces serious reflection and regrouping as they look ahead to the next race, eager to restore order after a weekend marred by penalties and lost opportunities.
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