Martin Brundle gives ‘honest’ verdict on Yuki Tsunoda and Alex Albon’s Mexico City Grand Prix crash

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The Mexico City Grand Prix couldn’t have started any worse for Williams driver Alex Albon and Visa Cash App RB star Yuki Tsunoda.

Yuki Tsunoda’s race was over before he even reached the first corner as he was facing the wrong direction and no longer had all four tyres attached to his car.

The Mexico City Grand Prix is notorious for first-corner incidents, with hometown hero Sergio Perez the unfortunate driver at last year’s race who was forced to retire after contact with Charles Leclerc.

The run down to the right-hand corner is the longest on the calendar and gave Max Verstappen ample time to overtake polesitter Carlos Sainz.

However, Alex Albon didn’t have the greatest getaway and found himself caught by the drivers around him and boxed in by several other drivers.

READ MORE: Williams driver Alex Albon’s life outside F1 from net worth, girlfriend to parents

Tsunoda was the unfortunate driver who was caught by Albon as they ran down to turn one.

Martin Brundle and David Croft shared their thoughts on Sky Sports F1 about the dramatic incident.

It brought out the safety car and then led to an even more dramatic set of incidents further towards the front of the pack between the two championship rivals.

Martin Brundle gives his verdict on Yuki Tsunoda and Alex Albon’s Mexican Grand Prix crash

Watching back a replay of the crash, Brundle said: “This is not going to be pretty.”

Croft replied: “Alex Albon who has the yellow on the engine cover, Tsunoda getting a really good slipstream, he didn’t quite get ahead, then he got ahead under braking and Alex Albon clipped him. Did Tsunoda just slightly move over?”

Brundle then suggested: “To be honest, when I see incidents like that it amazes me that they don’t happen more often.

“It really was, it was just a squeeze, wasn’t it? It was the Alpine of Gasly squeezed Albon over.

“He had nowhere to go and unfortunately for Yuki Tsunoda, I don’t think he did anything wrong there Tsunoda.

“But as I say, I watch that, and wonder why it doesn’t happen more often actually.”

Croft concluded: “At first, I thought Tsunoda might have moved over on Alex Albon, I don’t think he did actually, I think Alex Albon had to move over towards Yuki Tsunoda.”

Yuki Tsunoda and Alex Albon both needed strong weekends in Mexico

The timing of Tsunoda and Albon’s crash was particularly bad for both drivers.

Alex Albon has been put under increased pressure from Franco Colapinto with his new teammate trying to find a seat somewhere on the grid in 2025.

He’ll be joined by polesitter Sainz at Williams next year, and if he thinks the battle with Colapinto has been difficult, then the Spaniard will be an even more difficult challenge.

Tsunoda is a candidate to race for Red Bull next season and all throughout the three practice sessions in Mexico had been incredibly strong.

READ MORE: Visa Cash App RB driver Yuki Tsunoda’s life outside F1 from height to parents

However, the Japanese driver ruined his and Liam Lawson’s chances of reaching the top-ten qualifying shootout by crashing on his final run in Q2.

He knows he needs to outdrive both Lawson and Perez during the final few races to get the promotion he desires.

Unfortunately, a big crash that’s very much out of his control won’t do him any favours.