Yuki Tsunoda gets massive grid drop in latest Red Bull blow

Yuki Tsunoda has been handed a 10-place grid drop at the F1 Canadian Grand Prix. 

The Red Bull driver has been hit with a huge penalty for overtaking McLaren's Oscar Piastri under a red flag in final practice in Montreal. 

Tsunoda passed Piastri as the F1 championship leader was limping back to the pits with a damaged car after hitting the Wall of Champions. 

But when Tsunoda completed the overtake, the session was under red flag conditions. 

'No justifiable reason' for Tsunoda's overtake

Tsunoda argued that he was concerned he could be hit by debris from Piastri's car and decided to overtake - but the stewards disagreed. 

"The Stewards heard from the driver of Car 22 (Yuki Tsunoda), team representative and reviewed positioning/marshalling system data, video, timing, telemetry and in-car video evidence," the stewards noted. 

"Car 81 (Piastri) had earlier collided with the barrier at the exit of turn 14 and damaged the rear right wheel and sustained a puncture and suspension damage. A red flag was displayed when Car 22 was at turn 6. Car 22 reduced speed at that point. 

"After turn 12, Car 22 was approaching Car 81 on the back straight. The driver of Car 22 said that he saw Car 81 travelling slowly on the left side of the track with obvious damage. He said that he was worried that he might be struck by debris from Car 81 and decided to overtake. 

"Telemtry showed that Car 81 was travelling at 86kph when Car 22 overtook at a speed of 171kph. Having considered the matter extensively, the Stewards determined that while Car 81 had an obvious problem, it was not travelling at such a speed that it prevented Car 22 from following it at a safe distance. 

"The circumstances were such that there was no justifiable reason for the driver of Car 22 to have overtaken Car 81."

It marks a huge blow for Tsunoda amid his ongoing struggles at Red Bull. 

The Japanese driver came into the weekend insisting he needed to target Q3, but he now potentially faces a back-of-the-grid start if he cannot qualify in the top nine positions.