Yuki Tsunoda accuses Liam Lawson of 'waiting for me' in qualifying lap interference

Yuki Tsunoda believes Liam Lawson was “waiting” for the Japanese driver on the track before disrupting his lap time during qualifying.

Tsunoda expressed his frustration with Lawson over team radio, stating the New Zealander deliberately positioned his car to place Tsunoda in dirty air.

A more dramatic obstacle appeared in the form of an Alpine later in the session for Tsunoda during the final stages of the Q2, which he felt cost him a place in the top 10 shootout.

However, his accusation against Lawson is the second time this weekend Tsunoda has criticised the Racing Bulls driver, with a previous comment made following their scrap for track position during sprint qualifying on Friday.

When asked by RacingNews365 about his latest critique of Lawson, Tsunoda said: “In my view, I saw he was going very, very slow in Turn 11, kind of waiting for me in the middle of the corner. 

“It was not ideal, but the second push [lap] I got interrupted by the Alpine, which was much bigger than that.

“Until then, I had enough pace to go through to Q3 and I lost everything from that. So that was frustrating.”

This weekend has not marked the first time the two have come to blows during the campaign. 

At the Italian Grand Prix, contact was made between the pair, leaving Tsunoda to express his frustration after missing out on a points-scoring result.

The Red Bull driver asserted he will raise the latest squabble with Lawson.

“I'll mention it. We talked enough, I think, at previous rounds. Since Monza or whatever. But it's always like that. 

“I have to always be careful, that's it.”

Lawson is set to start the US Grand Prix from 12th on the grid with Tsunoda alongside him in 13th.