How Yuki Tsunoda’s Red Bull testing times compare with Sergio Perez’s Abu Dhabi qualifying lap

The Formula 1 season is officially over and trackside teams and drivers can relax after the longest campaign in history.

After the most gruelling F1 calendar in the sport’s 75-year, a final day of testing in Abu Dhabi has capped off a particularly memorable campaign.

Twenty-three drivers were given the chance to take part in an eight-hour session, with many able to rack up more than 100 laps.

Carlos Sainz made his official Williams debut after a brief run on Monday during a filming day.

There were also first outings for Nico Hulkenberg and Esteban Ocon at their new teams, but Red Bull were once again one of the main talking points.

That’s because neither of their regular drivers – Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez – were present at the circuit.

Instead, Yuki Tsunoda was handed his first chance to drive for Red Bull in a testing capacity, with Isack Hadjar in the other car.

Perez’s seat is under serious threat and a meeting on Monday with shareholders may have determined whether he will be on the grid next year.

Tsunoda is a candidate to replace Perez, and while lap times during this test are unlikely to determine whether the Japanese driver is promoted, it is interesting to see how he fared.

Comparing Yuki Tsunoda and Sergio Perez’s Abu Dhabi lap times

Tsunoda had plenty of time to get to grips with the RB20 on Tuesday, completing 127 laps across the day.

His RB teammate Liam Lawson set the record for most laps completed during the session, while Hadjar managed 125 laps as part of their young driver obligations.

Hadjar finished the session 15th, with a time of 1:24.632, while Tsunoda was marginally behind him with a 1:24.689.

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It has to be caveated that we’re not aware of the run plans either driver was on and whether Tsunoda was given the opportunity to complete any faster simulations.

He was completing Red Bull’s 2025 Pirelli test and was handed next year’s tyres including an experimental C6 compound that would be useful at tracks like the Las Vegas street circuit.

In comparison, Perez’s best time in qualifying for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was 1:23.264, 1.425 seconds faster than Tsunoda.

This highlights that Tsunoda was unlikely to have been given the opportunity to push the RB20 to its limits, given the deficit between them in qualifying this season in different cars has never been that big.

A more accurate comparison might be Perez’s best FP3 time which was 1:24.283, although this is still four-tenths quicker than Tsunoda.

Sergio Perez stuck in limbo waiting for Red Bull decision ahead of the 2025 F1 season

Although a meeting has seemingly already taken place to decide whether Perez will be a Red Bull – or even a Formula 1 – driver next year, it’s not clear when an announcement will be made.

However, the Mexican almost certainly knows the situation at this point and will either be preparing for life outside of F1 next year or considering his options on the table.

Red Bull could make Perez an ambassador for the company as per his contract, but that’s unlikely to appeal and was an offer Daniel Ricciardo previously refused.

READ MORE: Red Bull driver Sergio Perez’s life outside F1 from net worth to nickname

If Perez is gone, it also means that a successor has been selected.

Lawson is Red Bull’s likeliest choice to replace Perez even if he wasn’t given his chance to drive the car in the test on Tuesday.

His inexperience may also be a concern, but that’s never been an issue for Red Bull before when selecting a teammate for Verstappen – just ask Alex Albon.