Japanese Formula One driver Yuki Tsunoda said he was interrogated in his pyjamas for several hours by United States border control officials before being let into the country for this weekend’s Las Vegas Grand Prix.
The RB driver told reporters on Wednesday he had no issues on his two previous visits to the US this year for races in Austin and Miami.
“Luckily, they let me in after a couple of discussions,” he said. “Well, a lot of discussions, actually … I nearly got sent back home.”
Tsunoda said he had been travelling with his physio but had to go through immigration on his own and was then taken to a room for questioning despite having the correct paperwork.
“I did the visas and everything … I was able to enter smoothly at the previous track [Circuit of the Americas],” he said.
“Felt a bit strange that I got stopped and had a proper discussion. Luckily, it didn’t go on more than two or three hours. It’s not the first time we’ve come here this year. I heard a lot of things, but hopefully that is all well in the future – and smoothly.”
The Las Vegas GP comes after a three-week break following a round in Brazil and Tsunoda had flown in ahead of the team for a promotional event.
“I was wearing pyjamas, so maybe I didn’t look like an F1 driver,” added the 24-year-old.
