Gasly slams Racing Bulls tactics after losing positions at Dutch GP
Pierre Gasly lost multiple positions during the Dutch Grand Prix after being held up by Racing Bulls drivers, calling it deliberate team tactics, while rookie Arvid Lindblad calmly said he was simply following team orders.
During the first half of the Dutch Grand Prix, Pierre Gasly was on course for a strong finishing position after a good start. However, after his first pit stop, he rejoined the track directly behind Arvid Lindblad, who had already served a penalty for a drive-through and was no longer realistically fighting for points.
The French driver spent seven laps stuck behind Lindblad before an overtaking attempt at Turn 11 ended with locked wheels and the loss of a position to Nico Hulkenberg. Yuki Tsunoda also managed to get past at that point. When Lindblad later let his teammate Tsunoda through, Gasly continued running behind the F1 rookie — it took him 17 laps in total to pass Lindblad, and a further ten laps to get past Tsunoda.
Gasly's criticism
After the race, Gasly openly criticized Racing Bulls' (VCARB) actions, saying the team deliberately used tactics to its own advantage, which cost him positions to Hulkenberg and Tsunoda as well as valuable race time. He added that overtaking is difficult at Zandvoort and that the situation could differ at other circuits, while noting that he would remember what happened.
Lindblad, for his part, responded calmly to the criticism, explaining that he was simply following team instructions and did everything he could to help the team at a point when he himself was no longer fighting for points.
Results and standings
The tactic ultimately brought no points for Racing Bulls itself, as Tsunoda finished 11th and Lindblad 12th. Gasly ended the race in tenth place, but the incident cost him the chance to overtake Fernando Alonso, who finished ninth, just one second ahead.
In the Constructors' Championship, the battle between Racing Bulls and Alpine remains extremely tight — Racing Bulls hold 66 points and fifth place, with Alpine trailing by just three points.
