Tsunoda does not find the RB21 'tricky': 'My setup'll be different to Max'
After two rounds into the 2025 Formula One season, Red Bull Racing have announced that Yuki Tsunoda will replace Liam Lawson from the Japanese GP onwards. The driver has set his sights on a clear goal next weekend.
This week, it was confirmed that Max Verstappen is set to have a new teammate just after two weekends have been completed in the 2025 Formula 1 season. After Liam Lawson failed to score a single point and got eliminated already in Q1 on three occasions (including Sprint Qualifying), it was announced that he will return to Racing Bulls, while Yuki Tsunoda gets the promotion from the Faenza-based team.
Tsunoda aims for the podium
The Japanese driver has a clear target for his home Grand Prix, as he spoke for the first time publicly at a Honda event at their Aoyama headquarters. "To be honest, I never expected to be racing for Red Bull at the Japanese Grand Prix," the driver began.
"Of course, I was happy about joining Red Bull, but when I thought about it carefully, the idea of suddenly racing for Red Bull at the Japanese Grand Prix felt so unreal," Tsunoda continued, after saying it's 'fate' that he is able to compete for the team at their last event together in Suzuka with Honda. Next season, the Japanese manufacturer will provide power units for Aston Martin, while Red Bull will develop their own engine for the first time in collaboration with Ford.
"I don’t want to raise expectations too much, but for this Japanese Grand Prix, I want to finish on the podium. That said, I know it won’t be easy right from the start."
Still, he does not want to get carried away either. "My priority is to first understand the car, how it behaves compared to the VCARB. If I can naturally enjoy driving it as I get familiar with it in FP1, then the results will follow. And if that leads to a podium finish, that would be incredible."
RB21 'not that challenging'
While Tsunoda was excited to get the opportunity to drive for Red Bull Racing, he explained he remained calm and reached out to the one's that supported him. He also had a busy schedule. He also completed his seat fit, something he has done before but thought has no purpose given he at the time competed for Racing Bulls. "I spent about two days in the simulator. From that experience, I didn’t find the car to be that challenging to drive."
Many point to the fact that Red Bull develop their car for Max Verstappen's liking, however, Tsunoda did not find the current car any odd. "If you ask whether it felt tricky to handle, I wouldn’t say it gave me a particularly strange feeling, at least in the simulator. Of course, how I want to set up the car is probably different from Max. I want to develop my own car set-up, get a good understanding of it, and gradually get up to speed from FP1."
Team principal Christian Horner often mentions that being the Dutchman's teammate is the hardest job in the competition. Pressure will also be on the driver, after such a change was made so early on into the season. When he was told at the Honda headquarters by the interviewer that they do not want to put any additional pressure on him, he jokingly concluded: "Yes, please pile on the expectations and pressure!"
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Sounds reassuring. I do wonder how Lawson experienced the simulator... A podium sounds a bit ambitious, of course. I'm sure anything P10 or higher would be reason enough for the team to be happy.
I hope Yuki will do fantastic with his own settings. Proves the car isn't build around Max, just build like it is . . . which Max can drive well. Has been said/explained before by those 'in the know'. Would put the blah-blah-ers back in their place.
Not many would bat an eyelid....would be just like when Bottas finished ahead of Lewis. What happened then? Not much
I trust your assessment, like when Max finishes ahead of drivers......"Not many would bat an eyelid....would be just like when Bottas finished ahead of Lewis. What happened then? Not much"
Huh? I was referring to teammates that are not as fast as their teammate, eg Bottas Hamilton. I don't understand your reply/retort.
Huh?I was referring to Max when he finishes ahead of other drivers . Like you said "Not many would bat an eyelid....would be just like when Bottas finished ahead of Lewis. What happened then? Not much"
I wished he could keep his mouth shut and do his talking on the track. He’s behaving exactly like how Lawson did.
For first race great result for him would be finish p8 and if someone from McLaren, Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull has a problem then accordingly higher. But I doubt it. I expect him to stop at Q2, about ~12th. In the race more or less about the same place depending on problems others will have.
If he can found himself comfortable in that Redbull and the results follows then I'll be very happy. Good luck.
Well if he really expect for himself to get a podium, he's doomed to get disapointed. Realisticly the McLarens should get a 1-2. So thirth is the only available podiumplace left. So Tsunoda thinks he'll beat Verstappen, Russell, Leclerc and Hamilton to get that last podiumplace...all at his first race in a new car....
Personally I think he has the right attitude. He didn't say he expected a podium, he said that is what he wanted - but he knew it wouldn't be easy. That's his goal. Let's see how he manages. Maybe there was a reason Max wanted to keep Lawson.
That's certainly not why Max was for Lawson. I look at it as more of a friendly gesture.
Well if you're only looking at it that way, then it's an opinion as opposed to an outright fact. In which case, you cannot dismiss my opinion with 'certainly not why'. Because like me, you don't really know what is certain in this case. A friendly gesture isn't going to help Red Bull in the constructors.
There was a reason why Verstappen wanted to keep Perez too. Quit a simple one. Verstappen claims the problem is the car.... not the driver.
Completely correct thinking, that's the only way it can succeed. I like Yuki more and more. Let him show that with other settings (his own), he can achieve good results. I want him to succeed.
"I don’t want to raise expectations too much, but for this Japanese Grand Prix, I want to finish on the podium" !!! Good job your expectations are set quite low then Yuki ??
Whoah....slow down a bit Yuki....take it easy....we all rooting for you...but you have a mountain ahead of you!
