Gasly gives insight into Tsunoda’s Japanese GP challenges: “He wasn’t really catching”

Alpine driver Pierre Gasly has revealed what he believes Yuki Tsunoda did wrong in the Japanese Grand Prix last weekend. 

The Japanese driver stepped up to Red Bull after a four-year stint with its sister team, Racing Bulls, and after they decided to demote rookie Liam Lawson after just two race weekends.

Tsunoda had the pressure of his first race with Red Bull in front of his home crowd. He finished the race in twelfth, whilst his new team-mate Max Verstappen secured his first victory of the season. Gasly, who drove alongside Tsunoda at AlphaTauri (now Racing Bulls) in 2021 and 2022, claimed that a “set-up decision” meant that Tsunoda wasn’t catching up with him in Japan.

“I think he made a set-up decision that didn’t really play in his favour,” Gasly said to Motorsport.com and other media in Bahrain.

“I had him for the first stint behind me, and let’s say I wasn’t the fastest in the straight and he wasn’t really catching much. So I’m not sure he really helped himself in terms of setup. I think he’s definitely gonna pick it up over the next few weeks.”

Tsunoda has also commented on the progress he is keen to make this weekend in Bahrain. 

“I am looking forward to being in Bahrain this weekend and having time to fully focus on racing with my Team. Japan was a crazy week, the whole build-up was very busy and the week itself too,” Tsunoda said in Red Bull’s race preview.

“I loved having my home race but I am equally excited to have a quieter week in Bahrain to get to grip with this car properly, really work with my Team and settle into life with Oracle Red Bull Racing.

“I think if I can understand our tyre prep better then I can put the car in a better place for race day and hopefully score the points and performance I know we are capable of.”