Yuki Tsunoda’s current season in Formula 1 with Red Bull has presented numerous challenges, which amplifies the frustration stemming from his Las Vegas experience.
Tsunoda’s qualifying record against Max Verstappen stands at 0-24, with a significant gap of 3.340 seconds separating him from his teammate during the rainy session in Nevada.
Reports indicated that Red Bull implemented incorrect tire pressures on Tsunoda’s vehicle, with team principal Laurent Mekies acknowledging “substantial errors” post-qualifying.
As the race concluded on Saturday night, Tsunoda seemed to remain uninformed regarding the origin of the error and voiced his need for clarification.
“I’m looking for an explanation,” the Red Bull driver stated. “I need to understand the reasons behind this… the issue was quite fundamental. The discrepancy was extremely significant. This substantially reduced our competitiveness.
“Furthermore, I believe it could have been prevented. We were unable to prevent or improve the situation during the session. This requires thorough examination. We essentially forfeited the opportunity.”
Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Team
Photo by: Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images
Tsunoda’s poor qualifying performance contributed to his inability to score points, further impacting his prospects of retaining his Red Bull seat, especially with Isack Hadjar from Racing Bulls being a potential candidate for promotion.
The Japanese driver currently holds 17th position in the championship standings with 28 points, compared to Verstappen’s 366, but he found some encouragement in his practice speeds at Las Vegas.
“I have consistently demonstrated, until qualifying, from FP1 to FP3 in every session and performance run, a competitive edge against Max, often surpassing him,” he asserted.
“That was something that remained unseen for a while, and something I also lacked for a time. I should consider this a positive aspect. My pace there was exceptional. Max’s remarkable ability lies in elevating his performance during qualifying.
“Moreover, I felt more confident than at any other Grand Prix. It was certainly disappointing. However, the encouraging aspect is the improvement in pace. Consequently, the goal is to replicate this in Qatar.”
We want to hear from you!
Let us know what you would like to see from us in the future.
Take our survey
– The Autosport.com Team
