Yuki Tsunoda mentioned that he experienced the Red Bull car as more challenging to handle than he initially thought during the practice sessions at the Japanese Grand Prix.
Tsunoda recently joined Red Bull from their sister team, Racing Bulls, taking a seat alongside reigning world champion Max Verstappen. This move occurred after Liam Lawson was unexpectedly replaced just two races into the 2025 Formula 1 season.
Making his debut for Red Bull at his home Grand Prix, Tsunoda initially showed promising pace. In the first practice, he finished just behind Verstappen, only a tenth of a second separating them.
Despite finishing 18th in the second practice, which was disrupted by multiple red flags and may not accurately reflect performance, Tsunoda admitted that he found the RB21 car difficult to manage.
Tsunoda commented, “FP1 was better than expected, a positive start for me.”
He added, “FP2, I didn`t even set a proper lap time. There`s a lot of work ahead.”
“Perhaps I struggled a bit, or there`s something in the data from FP2 we need to analyze. But overall, it was okay. I just need to build more confidence.”
Verstappen also encountered difficulties with the car`s setup, finishing the second practice in eighth place.
While the second practice session was unusual due to numerous interruptions, Red Bull`s struggles were evident as both Racing Bulls cars outperformed the main team.
Isack Hadjar finished third, and Lawson secured fifth place upon his return to Racing Bulls.
Verstappen explained, “It was a chaotic day for everyone with the red flags.”
“Today was quite tough for me. We experimented with various car settings, but many things didn`t seem to click. It`s challenging to put together a fast lap.”
“You need significant confidence and commitment around this track. Currently, I don`t feel I can fully utilize that, so I have considerable work to do.”
Verstappen has previously demonstrated his ability to maximize the car`s potential, achieving second and fourth-place finishes earlier in the season. However, based on practice, challenging McLaren`s strong pace at Suzuka might be difficult this weekend.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner noted after the first practice that Tsunoda had made “a positive start” with the team.
Horner clarified that Tsunoda`s close performance to Verstappen in FP1 wasn`t due to different engine modes in their RB21 cars. “They were using identical engine modes,” he confirmed.
“It`s a positive beginning for Yuki. He`s very familiar with this circuit. His feedback in the car is clear and concise.”
“This is just the beginning of his time with the team, and there`s much to explore,” Horner added.
While both drivers used the same engine mode, Horner suggested that Tsunoda`s car setup might be adjusted to prioritize driveability compared to Verstappen`s.
Regarding the challenges faced by Verstappen`s past teammates, Horner commented, “I believe we need to provide a different setup approach.”
“Max`s skill in extracting lap time from the car is exceptional, and we haven`t seen another driver replicate that to the same extent.”
“Therefore, for the other driver, providing a car that is `calmer,` more settled, and predictable might be beneficial.”
“This might not result in the absolute fastest car, but it could certainly inspire more confidence for that driver.”
Marcus Prine