Emilia Romagna GP 2025: Big Blow for Max Verstappen and Red Bull as Yuki Tsunoda to Start Race From Pit Lane

To say that the qualifying session of the Emilia Romagna GP 2025 was something of a mixed bag for Red Bull Racing would be an understatement. 

Lead driver and four-time world champion Max Verstappen qualified in second, locking out the front row alongside pole sitter Oscar Piastri. 

However, Verstappen's teammate Yuki Tsunoda ended up suffering a huge accident in Q1 and was therefore always destined to start from last on the grid. 

But there was more bad news for the Japanese driver and his team after the race. 

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Red Bull's Big Repair Job

It has now been confirmed that Tsunoda will have to start the race from the pit lane as the team made so many changes to his car that components of a different specification were needed. 

"For the re-build of car 22 after the survival cell change, the Oracle Red Bull Racing team used several components of different specification. Therefore car number 22 should now be required to start the Race from the pit lane according to Article 40.9 a) of the 2025 Formula One Sporting Regulations," said the FIA.

Given Imola is a track where overtaking is expected to be tough, it seems like a major salvage job will be required from Tsunoda to even get in the points. 

Tsunoda's Poor Red Bull Start

It also adds to the pressure already on Tsunoda given he has not made the best of starts to his career in the ‘senior’ team after being promoted over Liam Lawson. 

He has only scored points in two races - Bahrain and Miami - and has also had one DNF in Saudi Arabia after a first-lap crash. 

Given how ruthless Red Bull are with driver changes, it begs the question as to how much time and patience Tsunoda will be afforded.