Yuki Tsunoda, AlphaTauri, Monza, 2023

Tsunoda’s power unit failure prompted Red Bull reliability fears – Horner

RaceFans Round-up

Posted on

| Written by

In the round-up: Red Bull were unnerved by the problem that struck Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri before the Italian Grand Prix began.

In brief

Tsunoda’s non-start was a concern for Red Bull

The start of the Italian Grand Prix was delayed after Tsunoda’s AlphaTauri broke down on the formation lap due a power unit failure. He was unable to participate in the race, and that left Red Bull worried if the same problem could inflict their cars.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said he is “always” concerned when common parts they share with AlphaTauri fail. “They’ve got the same gearbox, the same engine; there’s a lot of common components. He described as “not comfortable to see that car pulling off on the formation lap”.

Max Verstappen led Sergio Perez in a Red Bull one-two, though Red Bull told their winner to back off in order to manage high temperatures late in the race.

Sainz recounts attempted mugging

Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free

Carlos Sainz Jnr’s Italian Grand Prix weekend ended with an attempted robbery in Milan, in which his watch was taken. But he and several others then pursued the thief and the watch was reclaimed. On Monday morning he wrote on his Instagram story about the experience.

“As many of you already know, yesterday we experienced an unfortunate incident in Milano. The most important thing is that we are all OK and this will only remain as an unpleasant anecdote,” said Sainz.

“Many thanks to all the people who helped us yesterday, to the Milan police for their quick intervention and thanks for all your messages.”

Junior series champions crowned in America

Rowe made history with USF2000 title win
Two of IndyCar’s support series finished their seasons at Portland last weekend, and two champions were crowned and awarded scholarships to step up to the next level on the American open-wheel ladder.

Myles Rowe made history by becoming the first African-American winner of an open-wheel series when he wrapped up the USF Pro 2000 title on Saturday. The Will Power protege will step up to Indy Nxt in 2024.

Simon Sikes, who like Rowe drives for the Pabst Racing team, gained a scholarship to race in USFP2000 by winning the USF2000 title. He clinched the crown with two races to spare, and then won the season finale.

USF Juniors, the rung below USF2000, crowned their champion Nicolas Giaffone the weekend before at the Circuit of the Americas.

Bottas’ Italian GP point “really important” for Alfa Romeo

Valtteri Bottas took his third points finish of 2023 in the Italian Grand Prix, coming home in tenth place.

“I think it’s really important for us, even though it’s one point,” he said. “It’s been a bit of a dry season for a while so I’m really glad we got one point. And in an important race for the team, the home of Alfa Romeo.”

Sargeant reveals car struggles

Logan Sargeant missed out on his first Formula 1 points after being passed by Bottas. A penalty for contact with Bottas dropped him to 13th

Sargeant revealed he was having to work hard to keep his car under control. “Lesmo 1, Lesmo 2, Parabolica, I was just honestly trying to keep keep the car under me. The rear was super light,” he explained.

“I had to run a different spec front wing this weekend, and I think that’s what really hurt our balance today. I think had we had the normal one, we would have been OK. And it would have honestly made a big difference in terms of degradation.”

Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and go ad-free

Social media

Notable posts from Twitter, Instagram and more:

Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and go ad-free

Comment of the day

The consecutive wins record was not the only statistical triumph that Max Verstappen reached last weekend…

With his Monza win, Verstappen becomes the first ever driver to win the entire European round, finishing it off with six poles, two seconds, and a pole with a penalty with both second places being only slower by a couple of hundredths which could have swung another way with just some external variable.

He wins all of Silverstone, Monza, Monaco and Spa, the first time any driver achieves this within a single season. These races are the classic F1 races.

Most dominant period by any driver and what is most impressive is conditions haven’t really been helpful with so many wet, changing and weird weather this season.
RBA

Happy birthday!

Happy birthday to Maciek, Us_Peter and Dominikwilde!

Author information

Ida Wood
Often found in junior single-seater paddocks around Europe doing journalism and television commentary, or dabbling in teaching photography back in the UK. Currently based...

Got a potential story, tip or enquiry? Find out more about RaceFans and contact us here.

8 comments on “Tsunoda’s power unit failure prompted Red Bull reliability fears – Horner”

  1. Profile Photo

    Esploratore (@esploratore1)
    5th September 2023, 5:50

    Guessing the closest it got this year to red bull unreliability was that driveshaft failure verstappen had in saudi qualifying, but even if it struck in the race, a red bull would still have won, as it happened in reality.

  2. SteveP
    5th September 2023, 7:29

    Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said he is “always” concerned when common parts they share with AlphaTauri fail. “They’ve got the same gearbox, the same engine; there’s a lot of common components. He described as “not comfortable to see that car pulling off on the formation lap”.

    Is just cynicism that has me thinking that the super techies at the factory will have a reliability fix really incredibly quickly and that the engine can then be run even harder without danger of failure, which will coincidentally allow RBR to stretch their lead in each coming race?
    and it was only a reliability fix, honest…

    1. Profile Photo

      MacLeod (@macleod)
      5th September 2023, 7:54

      Depends on which failure it was seeing that the smoke was in the cockpit I edge to control electronics.

      And they can always up the engine mode like Ferrari did to give them the most chance to get prizes at Monza.

  3. Profile Photo

    Jere (@jerejj)
    5th September 2023, 8:28

    Tsunoda’s highest speed towards Les Combes in last season’s Belgian GP was 350.8 km/h actually, as per Race Maximum Speeds data for Intermediate 1, i.e., sector 1 timing loop, meaning Hamilton’s in the last race is the highest for current-generation cars.

    I was planning to mention COTD’s statistical note in the upcoming Stats & Facts article, but a good note nevertheless, which speaks volumes about his dominance.
    Monaco, Silverstone, Spa, Monza, I’d also add Suzuka on this list if/when he wins there.

    1. Coventry Climax
      5th September 2023, 15:24

      Ah, didn’t even know they kept track of that, but it’s an irrelevant record anyway, isn’t it? 😂

      I’d also add New York, Brisbane and Johannesburg to the list of european season wins, if/when he wins there ofcourse. 🤣

  4. SteveP
    5th September 2023, 17:10

    Ah, didn’t even know they kept track of that, but it’s an irrelevant record anyway, isn’t it?

    There will be someone, somewhere, keeping a note of the highest number of wins from 2nd on the grid, 3rd on the grid, 4th on the grid etc.

    Half of the people concerned tend to start their sentences with “I believe you will find…” and they don’t get out very often.
    Similar to “beer tickers” – I could explain that one, but you’d read half the explanation and then insist no one like that exists.

    1. Coventry Climax
      5th September 2023, 22:14

      I was quoting mr. Wolff, and in jest, in case you missed that.
      The second sentence was in jest as well.
      Maybe the emoticons didn’t come across?

      I’m not sure I understand why you address your comment about “I believe you will find etc..” to me, as I’m one of those who frequently stresses that what I say is just an opinion.

      Beer tickers, aren’t they those with a compulsive need to taste each and every kind of beer they can get their hands on, however obscure, however small the quantity, on festivals and tasting events and such, just to be able to add and tick them off on their collection list?
      There, one sentence. And english isn’t even my native tongue. Ofcourse these people exist, among the 8.1 billion currently alive on this planet. And they are the relatively harmless ones.

  5. SteveP
    6th September 2023, 17:33

    Beer tickers, aren’t they those with a compulsive need to taste each and every kind of beer they can get their hands on, however obscure, however small the quantity, on festivals and tasting events and such, just to be able to add and tick them off on their collection list?

    Almost, they actually have a defined minimum sample size. It happens to fit (no idea whether it’s co-incidence) in a “panda-pops” bottle (discontinued product).
    Various of them tour as many venues as they can manage in a day/weekend and berate the cellar staff of the event for having the temerity to refuse to serve foul infected beer rather than return it to the supplier. This transportation out enables them to sip at home, but does count as off-sales and currently falls under different excise rules/costs.

    And they are the relatively harmless ones.

    Relatively harmless, I suppose.

Comments are closed.