Formula 1: Tsunoda Reflects on Challenging Qualifying for Red Bull
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Synopsis
Yuki Tsunoda experienced a challenging qualifying session during his Red Bull debut at the Japanese GP, finishing P15 before being elevated to P14 due to Sainz's penalty. Despite a disappointing performance, he felt little pressure racing at home.
Key Takeaways
- Tsunoda struggled during his qualifying debut for Red Bull.
- He was eliminated in Q2, finishing in P15.
- Due to a penalty for Sainz, Tsunoda moved up to P14.
- Tsunoda felt he couldn't maximize the car's potential.
- He reported feeling less pressure compared to last year.
Suzuka, April 5 (NationPress) On the day his Red Bull teammate, Max Verstappen, secured an impressive pole position, Yuki Tsunoda faced a frustrating qualifying session, experiencing a continuous decline as he was eliminated in Q2 during the Japanese Grand Prix qualifying.
The Japanese racer, who made his debut for Red Bull at his home circuit, finished in P15—one spot behind his predecessor, Liam Lawson. However, due to Carlos Sainz's three-place grid penalty, both Tsunoda and Lawson have been elevated in the starting grid, with Tsunoda now set to start in P14 and Lawson in P13 for Sunday’s race.
“I think the warmup didn’t meet my expectations. I’m still in the learning phase. Although the warmup concluded satisfactorily, I anticipated some compromises, but the penalty was significant.
“It’s unfortunate that I couldn’t fully tap into the car’s potential. It appeared promising from Q1, yet it felt like everything deteriorated as the session progressed. Such a pity. The confidence in the car feels good now; I just wasn’t able to piece it all together today. Very disappointing,” Tsunoda expressed to Sky Sports F1.
Conversely, Verstappen executed a remarkable late lap to clinch pole position for the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix, thwarting McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in a thrilling finish at the Suzuka Circuit.
Tsunoda also mentioned that despite the grand significance of making his debut for Red Bull in front of his home crowd, he did not feel immense pressure.
“Surprisingly, I feel fine regarding pressure. The laps in Q2 were probably the most pressured moments compared to previous sessions.
“I felt it more last year than this year. This year, my mindset was more about enjoying the experience and getting to know the car. Simultaneously, I had the pace from FP3, so I didn’t foresee this outcome today,” he added.
