Yuki Tsunoda’s Red Bull Formula 1 debut started in promising fashion before tailing off at the Japanese Grand Prix.
The Japanese driver would have hoped for more than 12th place before the start of the weekend, after finally receiving a ‘better-late-than-never’ call to drive for Red Bull.
Tsunoda has the formidable task of being Max Verstappen’s teammate for the rest of the year, as the two attempt to bring life to the Milton Keynes-based outfit’s constructors’ championship charge.
The 24-year-old must perform well if he wants to be retained ahead of the 2026 F1 regulations and needs to start scoring points.
Christian Horner made a promise to Tsunoda that an easier car will be built for him soon, making his journey to the points a little easier.
Red Bull are set for a major update at the start of the European leg of the Formula 1 season. The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix could be the start of their ascension in 2025.
READ MORE: Yuki Tsunoda has one trait the Red Bull driver must exploit to ‘show what he can do’ at Bahrain Grand Prix
Juan Pablo Montoya sent ‘difficult’ poorly-aged text to Yuki Tsunoda’s manager before Red Bull F1 debut
Tsunoda kept repeating one complaint to Red Bull during his first race for the team. He put his experience to good use and realised it was too hard to follow other cars.
Whether or not that can be used to bring more helpful upgrades to the car is too early to tell, but any feedback is useful at this stage.
Juan Pablo Montoya has a clear stance on what the Japanese driver’s main task is. He even sent Tsunoda’s manager a text to tell him what his driver’s aims should be at Red Bull.
“But the person who manages Yuki said ‘Hey, Yuki, [in] Japan where everything lines up for you can make life difficult for Max’. I even told him and I said it last week that it’s clear to Max,” said Montoya.
Verstappen and Tsunoda did something ‘really bad’ before their first weekend as teammates. The latter doesn’t trust his new companion yet but will need to soon if they are to compete against their rivals.
READ MORE: Red Bull will be worried by what Ted Kravitz spotted in Yuki Tsunoda’s data at the Japanese Grand Prix
What is Yuki Tsunoda missing after making his Red Bull F1 debut?
Tsunoda may understand Liam Lawson’s struggles after just one event in the RB21. It’s hard to be quick over one lap currently.
He was outqualified by the Kiwi in what is meant to be a slower car in Suzuka, after failing to string a solid lap together in Q2.
Helmut Marko thinks Tsunoda lacks consistency, but it’s something that he should be able to build with more laps in the car.
The upcoming Bahrain Grand Prix should be the perfect track for him to gain a better understanding of his new car. It may be the circuit he has clocked the most laps at during his career.
Therefore, setting the car up and tailoring it to his needs should be much easier and allow him to be a bit closer to Verstappen during both qualifying and the race.
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