Tsunoda apologetic for crash after 'pushing too hard' in Q1

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Yuki Tsuonoda was worthy of the praise he received after his points-scoring finish in Bahrain last month, but the AlphaTauri rookie came crashing down to earth in qualifying at Imola.

The Saturday afternoon session had just got underway when the Japanese driver heavily clouted the barrier at the Variante Alta chicane, severely damaging the rear end of his AT02 and triggering a red flag.

Tsunoda immediately owned up to the blunder which he said was a case of simply "pushing too hard".

"The crash today in qualifying was my mistake and I want to apologise to the team – I was pushing too hard into the entry of the chicane and just couldn’t control the car after that," said the 20-year-old.

"It’s a shame because up until that corner the car felt really good and it was a strong lap – I think we could’ve gotten through to Q2 on just one compound."

Read also: 'It can't be good every time', rues Verstappen

Looking ahead to Sunday's race which he is set to start dead last, Tsunoda will have his work cut out for him. But the AlphaTauri charger will start afresh and give it his all.

"I believe there’s the potential for rain at the start of tomorrow’s race, so anything can happen, and I’ll try to push as hard as I can to make my way forward from the back.

"The car looks really good, so I’ll just reset my mind tonight and jump back in the car tomorrow to go racing."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.