Yuki Tsunoda: Christian Horner says new Red Bull driver is ‘finding… Read More
Christian Horner, Red Bull’s team principal, has stated that Yuki Tsunoda is still in the process of adapting to his new role with the team after a mixed performance at the Japanese Grand Prix. Tsunoda, who replaced Liam Lawson ahead of the race, had a relatively quiet weekend and did not make it to Q3 or score any points.
Tsunoda qualified 15th, just behind Lawson, who had been the driver he replaced. He faced a setback during his final Q2 run, where a mistake cost him valuable time. However, during the race, Tsunoda managed to pass Lawson on the opening lap and undercut Alpine’s Pierre Gasly during the pit stop phase. Despite these efforts, he spent the rest of the race unable to make progress and found himself stuck behind Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin.
According to Horner, Tsunoda has settled well into the team, providing useful feedback and showing solid progress. He noted that Tsunoda’s performance in practice sessions was promising, with a strong showing in P1 and a respectable result in P3. In Q1, Tsunoda was just a tenth behind Max Verstappen, which is encouraging given Verstappen’s dominant form. Unfortunately, Tsunoda’s mistake in Q2 set the tone for the rest of his weekend, with Horner pointing out that his race was largely dictated by his qualifying position. Had he qualified higher, Horner believes Tsunoda would have had a better race result. Overall, Horner is optimistic about Tsunoda’s future with the team, expecting improvements in his performance in the upcoming races as he gains more experience.
For Tsunoda, the weekend left him with “mixed feelings.” He admitted that while he was happy with his performance, he was disappointed with the final result, particularly since it was his home Grand Prix. Tsunoda was aiming to finish in the points but could not overcome the challenges caused by his qualifying position. Despite the setback, Tsunoda expressed that he was learning and becoming more confident in the car. He also emphasized the importance of having Max Verstappen as a teammate, from whom he can learn and continue to improve. Tsunoda remains hopeful that with better qualifying performances in the future, he will be able to secure better results.
Meanwhile, Liam Lawson, who had been replaced by Tsunoda, had a challenging race weekend as well. Lawson, who was competing in his third Red Bull race, managed to reach Q2 for the first time this season, but his race was compromised by a strategy that didn’t pay off. He finished in 17th place, after starting the race with a medium-soft tyre strategy that didn’t work in his favor. Despite the disappointing result, Lawson remained positive, stating that he was focusing on continuing to build his experience with the car and would take the positives from the weekend.
In the junior Red Bull ranks, Isack Hadjar had an impressive weekend in Japan. He qualified in 7th place and finished the race in 8th, just behind Lewis Hamilton. Hadjar showed resilience, particularly after dealing with seatbelt issues during qualifying, which caused him significant distress on the radio. Despite the difficulties, he demonstrated his speed and finished with his first points of the season. Hadjar had faced criticism earlier in the season after crashing during the formation lap of the Australian Grand Prix, but his strong performance in Japan answered any doubts about his abilities.
When asked about his future with Red Bull, Hadjar said that while he was happy in his current position, he would never turn down a call-up from the team. For now, he is focused on enjoying his racing and continuing to perform well. His performance in Japan demonstrated his potential, and it is clear that he is one to watch in the future.
Overall, while Tsunoda’s first race weekend with Red Bull was somewhat disappointing, there are signs of promise, and both he and the team are optimistic about his development. Lawson continues to build his experience with the team, while Hadjar’s impressive performance has placed him firmly in the spotlight for potential future opportunities within the Red Bull program. As the season progresses, Red Bull will likely continue to monitor their drivers closely, with Tsunoda, Lawson, and Hadjar all in the mix for future roles within the team.
