The 2025 United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, delivered a weekend of high-octane racing and intense rivalries, with Max Verstappen securing a dominant victory. However, the spotlight also fell on a heated clash between Yuki Tsunoda and Oliver Bearman, leaving the young Haas driver spinning on the track and fuming at the Red Bull racer.
Bearman, who ultimately finished ninth, criticized Tsunoda's driving as "dangerous" and "against the spirit of how we should go racing". The incident occurred on Lap 35 when Bearman attempted to overtake Tsunoda at Turn 15. Bearman was forced to take evasive action to avoid a collision, resulting in a spin that cost him valuable time and track position.
"I felt like what he did was quite dangerous, against the spirit of how we should go racing and against the image that we should project to kids growing up in karting and stuff," Bearman stated after the race. He accused Tsunoda of "swerving all over the place" and not leaving a car's width of space during the attempted overtake. "That's not allowed, and that caused me to avoid. It could have caused a huge crash, honestly, without my quick avoidance, so it's a big shame," Bearman added. He felt that seventh position was within reach without the incident.
Bearman also pointed to Tsunoda's aggressive driving in the Sprint race, where he made contact with his sister car, driven by Isack Hadjar, at Turn 1. "In the sprint race, he sent it up the inside into Turn 1 and took out his sister car. In the main race, he did the same thing in Turn 1 again. So I feel like his driving may be a little bit desperate, and that was shown in his defence today," Bearman said.
Tsunoda defended his actions, stating, "I don't think I moved under braking. It's just a bit unfortunate how we ended up in that race like that, especially as we were having a good fight until then". He also downplayed the Turn 1 incident in the Sprint race, saying, "That's racing, right? I was fully in control, I didn't have any lockups". Tsunoda ultimately finished the Grand Prix in seventh place.
Adding to the tension, Tsunoda was also involved in a heated exchange with his Red Bull teammate Liam Lawson during qualifying. Tsunoda accused Lawson of "disturbing me on purpose" and "slowing down like hell in the corners". He further claimed that Lawson is "always doing something on purpose, and it's b*,". Lawson brushed aside Tsunoda's complaints, citing traffic as a common issue at the Circuit of the Americas. "I've absolutely no idea what he's talking about," Lawson said.
Despite the controversy, Yuki Tsunoda showcased his fitness and motivational skills by participating in a workout class at a nearby F45 gym.
The United States Grand Prix weekend was filled with exciting moments, including Max Verstappen's dominant performance, Lando Norris's impressive recovery drive to second place, and Charles Leclerc's podium finish. Off the track, drivers embraced the Texan spirit with cowboy hats and various activities. However, the clash between Tsunoda and Bearman, along with Tsunoda's feud with Lawson, added an extra layer of intrigue to the event, raising questions about racing etiquette and team dynamics within the Red Bull camp.
