Midway through the race at Monza, Tsunoda and Lawson went wheel-to-wheel violently into the Roggia chicane, with Tsunoda overtaking and Lawson attempting an immediate counter.

A wheel-to-wheel bump resulted in both drivers running off track, severely damaging Tsunoda’s RB21’s floor. Despite continuing, Tsunoda’s damage slowed his charge and dashed his chances of scoring points, forcing him to finish 13th behind Lawson in 14th.

Marko called the collision “incredibly stupid” and criticized Tsunoda’s lack of pace, highlighting the severity of the consequences for the driver fighting for his Red Bull seat. 

Red Bull’s Internal Struggles and Tsunoda’s Challenge

Since his promotion from the junior Racing Bulls team before the Japanese Grand Prix, Tsunoda has struggled to make an impact, tallying only nine points over 14 races and reaching Q3 just six times.

Team principal Laurent Mekies defended Tsunoda’s qualifying but acknowledged his race pace has not met expectations.

The Monza incident roughly encapsulates the challenges Tsunoda faces in closing the gap to dominant teammate Max Verstappen and securing his place within Red Bull’s intensely competitive environment. 

Implications for Red Bull’s 2026 Lineup Decision

Red Bull intends to finalize its driver lineup for the next season around October, having delayed the decision to observe more races.

The mistakes and underwhelming performances like Monza’s collision do not bode well for Tsunoda’s prospects, especially with young talents like Isack Hadjar rising in the Racing Bulls ranks.

Marko’s blunt critiques signal a low tolerance for errors as Red Bull aims to maintain dominance with Verstappen and a reliable teammate in 2026 and beyond. 

This Monza incident is a telling moment in Tsunoda's turbulent season, where pressure mounts for results and consistency amid fierce competition both within the team and in the wider F1 grid.