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Tsunoda admits that his Japanese Grand Prix prep was hampered: 'Didn't have time to focus'

12:58, 11 Apr

byToby Nixon

For Yuki Tsunoda, the Japanese Grand Prix was an emotional rollercoaster. On one hand, making his debut for Red Bull Racing on home soil was a dream come true. On the other hand, Sunday’s race brought disappointment, as he failed to score points—while his teammate Max Verstappen claimed victory at Suzuka.

It was no small feat for Yuki Tsunoda. Less than two weeks before the Japanese Grand Prix, he was suddenly informed that he would be stepping up to replace Liam Lawson in Red Bull’s leading team. With little time to prepare, the Japanese driver quickly travelled to Milton Keynes to familiarize himself with the RB21 in the team’s simulator.

Once at the Suzuka circuit in Japan, it became clear that the correlation between the simulator and the real RB21 wasn’t quite right. Despite that, Tsunoda appeared to settle in quickly with the Red Bull team. However, a misjudged setup hampered his qualifying performance, and from there, the rest of the weekend was spent trying to recover and limit the damage.

Tsunoda finds more peace in Bahrain

The media, fans and sponsors constantly wanted something from the man of the hour in Japan. In short, it was a busy and emotional weekend for the home hero.

In Bahrain, there should be less pressure away from home, but Tsunoda doesn't see it that way. "Not really," he says to GPblog and other media present. "The pressure is always there."

Nevertheless, he also says: "The Japan GP was very hectic with media, promotions, and activities. I didn’t have time to fully focus on prep. Now I do, and I have a better idea of what kind of car I’ll have. I’m just working through things step by step. No need to rush—I’m feeling more confident and positive already."