Toto Wolff blames Yuki Tsunoda for Lewis Hamilton’s Q2 exit at Dutch GP

Lewis Hamilton will start at P13 on Sunday.

Toto Wolff blames Yuki Tsunoda for Lewis Hamilton’s Q2 exit at Dutch GP

Toto Wolff, Lewis Hamilton and Yuki Tsunoda (Images via IMAGO)

The Dutch GP’s qualifying session saw many twists and turns. From the two red flags in Q3 with Lewis Hamilton’s shocking Q2 exit, the qualifying ended with Max Verstappen grabbing pole position with Lando Norris in second position and George Russell in third. Mercedes chief Toto Wolff recently blamed Yuki Tsunoda for Hamilton’s early exit.

Hamilton was impeded by Fernando Alonso as well as mid-race. However, the investigation by stewards deemed him innocent, and no penalty was given for it.  Hamilton will be starting on P13 on Sunday as an interesting overtaking spectacle might be seen from him.

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“The pace was there all weekend. He [Lewis] was impeded on the last lap, and that cost him the position [incident with Tsunoda]. The main thing was the impeding. You need to have this one lap at the end, and he did not have that,” Wolff told Skysports.

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Lewis Hamilton says Yuki Tsunoda didn’t cost him Q2 qualification

Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton (Credits: USA Today)

With rainfall affecting Zandvoort, the qualification was a tough drive for all the drivers due to changing track conditions. Hamilton had a shocking exit from Q2, which will see him starting from P13 on Sunday. He recently acquitted Yuki Tsunoda of claims that he cost Hamilton his qualification.

Hamilton fell out of Q2 on intermediates while his rivals were on fresher tires. Hamilton recently said that Tsunoda’s alleged impeding of his did not cost him his qualification, although he did admit that Tsunoda did get in his way. Tsunoda himself will be starting on P14 after a Q2 exit.

“A few of the others got in the way on previous laps, Tsunoda was in the way a little bit, but he didn’t make me lose any time,” said Hamilton. While Hamilton did not have the most ideal qualification, his teammate George Russell will start P3 tomorrow behind Lando Norris and Max Verstappen. Russell will surely be looking for his second podium finish after constantly being behind his teammate for the 2023 season.

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