Yuki Tsunoda details Red Bull car struggles after Liam Lawson defeat
Yuki Tsunoda concludes Red Bull's F1 car is difficult to drive after qualifying a lowly 15th in Japan.
Yuki Tsunoda has admitted Red Bull’s F1 car is more difficult to drive than Racing Bulls after a disappointing qualifying at the Japanese Grand Prix.
Having been promoted to Red Bull, Tsunoda could only manage 15th on his qualifying debut for the team as he suffered a heartbreaking Q2 elimination on home soil.
Tsunoda was nearly half a second adrift of teammate Max Verstappen, who went on to stun the McLaren pair and claim a shock pole position, in the second part of qualifying at Suzuka.
The 24-year-old Japanese driver was also slower than Liam Lawson, who took 14th on his return to Racing Bulls following his demotion from the main Red Bull team.
Tsunoda opted to run a higher downforce car set-up with his RB21 compared to Verstappen.
“It’s a bit different to Max but at the same time, it was the wing level I chose in the end,” Tsunoda explained.
“Still there was pace to go through to Q3 looking at the Q1 pace, but I just didn't put it all together in the end.”
Despite the disappointing result, Tsunoda insists he is coping with the pressure of being thrown into the Red Bull hot seat.
"I felt okay in terms of pressure. The last Q2 lap was probably the most pressure time,” he said.
“My mindset was to enjoy it but I had the pace from FP1, so I didn't expect to end up like this.
“It’s a shame but the positive is that I have started to understand the car.
"It is quite difficult to operate properly, it’s quite narrow, more than the VCARB, but I have confidence now and and know what to do for the future.”
Yuki Tsunoda ‘paid the price’ for set-up choice
Jacques Villeneuve believes Tsunoda’s car set-up choice ultimately backfired.
“He went for comfort and comfort is never fast,” the 1997 world champion told Sky Sports F1.
“Tsunoda was half a second behind Verstappen and that is not good enough. He got out of Q1 but that is not what Red Bull was looking for.
"I think he is paying the price for set-up choice with a very high downforce.
"It might help him save tyres in the race but he won't have any straight-line speed."
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