Speaking in Mexico about one of the weekend’s hot topics, the Australian said he sees it as part of the gamemanship that comes when the stakes are so high and the gaps so close.

Tsunoda, meanwhile, highlighted how difficult it can be to see the yellow grid line, which is placed specifically to give drivers a visual reference for positioning their car correctly within the rows.

Although there is no explicit rule forbidding the removal of signaling tape, Red Bull was still fined in Austin for breaching the grid access procedure — they had entered the “gate well area” while the marshals were closing access, constituting a grid safety violation.

This sparked debate over how far teams are willing to push the limits, even resorting to borderline tactics to gain a slight advantage over a rival.

On the matter, Laurent Mekies acknowledged that “a few silly games” were played by both sides but stressed that he will ensure “it doesn’t go too far next time.”