YUKI TSUNODA was almost denied entry into the USA ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, he has revealed.
The Visa Cash App RB driver was interrogated for three hours by US border officials before he was eventually allowed to enter the country.
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Las Vegas represents the third and final race of the season that takes place in the United States following the Miami Grand Prix and US Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas in Texas.
However, he was almost unable to race this time around following the three-week break from the Brazil Grand Prix.
The 24-year-old flew into America for a promotional event in Vegas earlier this week, but faced trouble at the airport.
He said: “They let me in after a couple of discussions.
“Well, a lot of discussions – actually, I nearly got sent back home.
“Everything is all good now, luckily I am here now.
“I had the visas and everything, been the same I guess the last three tracks, right?
“I was able to enter smoothly [at the] previous tracks.
“It felt a bit strange I got stopped and had a proper discussion.
“Luckily it did not go more than two or three hours.
“But yeah I felt… it was going to be a long travel for me.”
It remains unclear why exactly he was stopped at customs, and the Japanese driver admitted it was difficult since he was unable to call anyone from the team to help him out.
He added: “Obviously, when you have questions and go to customs, you go individually.
“I went to the room, he put me in the room and we had a conversation, even like, ‘Can I bring the person that travel with and maybe he can help a little bit to explain a bit more about myself and the situation in Formula 1?’
“But they did not allow me to bring that friend or even call anything. I wanted to call to the team or F1 that can help me, but in that room you cannot do anything.
“I was wearing pyjamas, so maybe I did not look like a F1 driver!
“I got a lot of pressure from them, but I was like, I could not say anything otherwise – if I say something, I feel like I am more in trouble.”
Tsunoda managed to end a barren spell of seven races without any points at the wet Brazil race weekend.
His P7 finish at Interlagos was his highest-ever finish in the motorsport and resulted in a six-point haul.
With just three races of the season to go, Tsunoda sits P11 in the driver standings, three points behind tenth place Nico Hulkenberg.
Max Verstappen can win the F1 title in Vegas if he betters Lando Norris’ points haul by three.
His brilliant recovery drive from P17 to win in Brazil saw him all-but seal the deal for a fourth world drivers title.
More to follow.
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