Tsunoda “nearly got sent back home” after US Customs drama, Piastri no longer in support role for Norris, and other big updates

Tsunoda “nearly got sent back home” after US Customs drama

Yuki Tsunoda had a stressful experience with US immigration before the Las Vegas Grand Prix when he was sent for extra questioning, even though he had the correct visa. He thought his casual clothes, which looked like pyjamas, might have made officials doubt he was an F1 driver, even though he had no trouble entering the US weeks earlier. He wasn’t allowed to get help from his physio or contact his team, so he had to handle the questioning alone. After many discussions, he was finally allowed to enter, but the experience left him nervous and questioning his outfit and his racing status.

Click here to read the full article by Phillip van Osten (f1i.com)

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Piastri no longer in support role for Norris

Oscar Piastri says McLaren has rolled back its "Papaya Rules," meaning he's no longer in a full support role for Lando Norris. This change comes after Norris' title hopes faded with Max Verstappen's win at Interlagos. Piastri had previously sacrificed a sprint race victory to help Norris, but now he's free to chase wins himself, although he might still be asked to assist in certain scenarios. Piastri expressed that while he didn't mind helping before, he's now relieved to focus on his own results.

Click here to read the full article by Jonathan Noble & Ronald Vording (motorsport.com)

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Hamilton 'did not want to come back' after Brazil

Lewis Hamilton said he thought about leaving Mercedes after a tough Brazilian GP, where he dropped out in Q1 and finished P10 with just one point. He hinted at his frustration on the radio after the race, saying, "If this is the last time I get to perform, it was a shame it wasn't great, but I'm grateful for you." Later, he confirmed he didn't want to return after that weekend because the season had been so disappointing. Still, he promised to give his best in the last races and to work hard to avoid another season like this.

Click here to read the full article by Jamie Woodhouse (planetf1.com)

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Williams struggles with spare parts after crash spree

Williams F1 is struggling after five major crashes in just 10 days, leaving them with a shortage of spare parts. Alex Albon admitted the team is running low on spares and emphasized the intense effort to keep the cars race-ready. In Brazil, both Albon and Franco Colapinto crashed, with Albon unable to race due to his qualifying crash. Despite these setbacks, Albon stated they remain focused on racing hard and scoring points, not letting the spare parts issue impact their performance.

Click here to read the full article by Fergal Walsh & Ian Parkes (racingnews365.com)

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Hamilton fields questions from school kids

Lewis Hamilton answers questions on Black History Month and more from the schoolchildren of Brightlingsea Primary School in the UK. Some of the questions include what it’s like to be the first Black driver in F1, how it felt to win his first trophy, and what other sports he played when he was younger, among others.