Pierre Gasly Blames Yuki Tsunoda for Shocking Monaco Crash

Pierre Gasly pointed to Yuki Tsunoda as the cause of their crash during the Monaco Grand Prix on May 27, 2025. Both drivers, who started the race from the back following a mandatory pitstop on the first lap, clashed at the chicane while battling for 17th and 18th positions.

The television broadcast caught Gasly’s immediate radio message, interpreted as “no brakes,” after the incident. Gasly later clarified that he did have braking power and believed Tsunoda’s actions were responsible for the collision.

Gasly explained his view by saying that Tsunoda had made a mistake before the tunnel, which allowed the Alpine driver to close the gap. According to Gasly, Tsunoda had consistently braked on the right side of the racing line in previous laps.

This time, with Gasly close and choosing to stay left, he said Tsunoda braked on the left, then moved back toward the racing line just as Gasly had already committed to his move. Gasly noted that, with both cars squeezed for space, there was nowhere for him to go.

He emphasized that on a circuit as tight as Monaco, drivers must stick to their chosen line when defending.

When reporters brought up Gasly’s comments with Yuki Tsunoda and described them as suggestions of “erratic driving,” Tsunoda was surprised. The Red Bull driver defended his actions by stating that he did not feel he did anything wrong and was simply hugging the wall, trying not to move under braking. Tsunoda was firm in blaming Gasly for the incident.

Tsunoda added that he had expected an overtake attempt and maintained he would act the same way if given another chance in the same situation.

The Monaco weekend proved to be especially challenging for Alpine as a whole. The team turned in its poorest qualifying session of the year, with Gasly securing 18th and teammate Franco Colapinto starting at the back in 20th.

During the race, Colapinto managed to climb to 13th as the chequered flag fell but could not score points. Gasly, reflecting on the event, said the team expected a tough race weekend as the characteristics of the Monte Carlo circuit often expose weaknesses in Alpine’s A525 car.

He particularly highlighted the car’s lack of ride compliance on slow, bumpy tracks.

Gasly remained optimistic about the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix, where he expects Alpine to perform better due to the high-speed corners and smoother surface at Barcelona. He recalled that last year Alpine managed to get both cars into Q3 and score points at the Spanish circuit.

The layout, he believes, suits their car’s strengths far more than Monaco.

As Formula 1 leaves Monaco and prepares for Barcelona, Alpine will look for improvements in qualifying pace and consistency. Gasly and Tsunoda will likely review the crash incident together, but both drivers stand by their choices in a race that saw little room for error on one of the calendar’s most unforgiving tracks. The Gasly and Tsunoda crash left fans debating the causes.

The focus now shifts quickly, as teams and fans await the next chapter of the season and hope for cleaner results and better luck for both drivers after a tricky weekend on the streets of Monte Carlo.