Formula One driver Yuki Tsunoda claims he was interrogated in his pyjamas by United States border control before eventually being granted entrance.
The Japanese star flew in ahead of this weekend’s Las Vegas Grand Prix but it was far from plain sailing on arrival into the US.
The RB driver told reporters of his difficulties on Wednesday despite never having encountered issues on his previous two visits to the country this year for races held 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, who travelled to the United States accompanied by his physio, was forced to go through immigration on his own before being 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.”
“I was wearing pyjamas, so maybe I didn’t look like an F1 driver,” Tsunoda added.
The Las Vegas Grand Prix brings an end to the three-week Formula One break following the Brazilian GP earlier this month.
Max Verstappen leads the way with just three races left as he closes in on a fourth world title.
He holds a 62-point lead over Britain’s Lando Norris with Charles Leclerc a further 24 points back.
Verstappen can seal world title glory as early as this weekend in Las Vegas with a maximum of 86 points up for grabs over the final three races.
The Dutch driver will clinch the title if he finishes the weekend with an advantage of 60 points or more over Norris.
Should Verstappen reign supreme, he would become the second driver in history after Sebastian Vettel to win their first four world titles consecutively.
For Norris to take the race to the title to Qatar next weekend, he must narrow the gap to 59 points in Las Vegas.
