Source – New York times
After making hurtful radio remarks during the Austrian Grand Prix qualifying, the RB driver apologized and was fined.
In a dramatic turn of events during the Austrian Grand Prix qualifying at the Red Bull Ring, RB Formula 1 driver Yuki Tsunoda has been slapped with a hefty 40,000 euro fine for using offensive language. The incident occurred towards the end of Q1 when Sauber’s Zhou Guanyu overtook Tsunoda in the pit lane, prompting Tsunoda to express his frustration over team radio with the remark, “these guys are f***ing retarded.”
This inflammatory comment quickly caught the attention of the FIA’s race stewards, who ruled that Tsunoda had breached the governing body’s International Sporting Code. The stewards noted that Tsunoda was apologetic during the hearing, claiming he did not fully understand the inappropriateness of his language due to English not being his first language. Nevertheless, they deemed his actions a clear violation of the code.
In their official statement, the stewards detailed the incident: “During Q1, when car 22 was queuing in the fast lane and another car blended into the fast lane ahead of him, the driver was heard to make a statement over team radio using offensive language. During the hearing, the driver was very apologetic and explained that because English is not his first language, he was unaware until after the session what the meaning of the words used is in the English language. He said that he was horrified when he learned this. He contended that his understanding of the words was different, but acknowledged that this should not be considered as an excuse for what he did. The stewards appreciate the honesty of the driver, but reinforce the fact the words used are offensive and wholly inappropriate. To have used such words over a platform that is available to the public amounted to misconduct as defined in Article 20 of the International Sporting Code.”
In light of Tsunoda’s candid apology and his offer to make a public statement, the stewards decided to suspend half of the fine for the remainder of 2024, contingent on no further infractions. They underscored the severity of the misconduct but also recognized Tsunoda’s genuine remorse.
Tsunoda wasted no time in issuing a public apology on his Instagram account: “I wanted to say big apologies [for] what I said in the radio today. Obviously I didn’t use it intentionally and was completely misunderstanding from myself that exact meaning of it. I now have a better understanding for what the word means and am very apologetic for what I said. This type of language has no place and is not tolerated and for that I am sorry.”
Despite the controversy, Tsunoda will start the Austrian GP from 14th position, having been eliminated in Q2. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of language awareness and the consequences of misconduct in high-stakes sports.
