Yuki Tsunoda is yet to feel the “trickiness” of Red Bull machinery previously mentioned, but has picked up on the “instability”.

Nonetheless, Tsunoda does not plan to ask his new team-mate, the multi-time World Champion who has mastered the Red Bulls, Max Verstappen, for any advice on how to make it work, as he doubts Verstappen would “say the truth”.

Tsunoda at Red Bull: Verstappen no help to new team-mate?

After Red Bull made the tough decision to demote Liam Lawson following just two rounds of F1 2025, Tsunoda steps up from Racing Bulls in a straight swap and will make his debut this weekend at the Japanese Grand Prix in front of his home fans.

Lawson suffered a torrid start to the season, scoring zero points and failing to escape Q1, with the general consensus being that the VCARB 02 car of Red Bull’s second team is easier to drive than the RB21.

Lawson joined Sergio Perez, Alex Albon and Pierre Gasly before him as drivers who ultimately walked through the Red Bull exit door after bruising experiences alongside Verstappen, who has developed the reputation of something of a team-mate killer with the Milton Keynes-based squad.

So, ahead of the Japanese GP, Tsunoda was asked if Verstappen has given him any advice on what makes Red Bull machinery tick, as the one who knows how to drive it best.

“Not really, to be honest,” he replied.

“And I think even I tap his shoulder and ask about the car, I don’t think he’s going to say the truth.

“So, I’ve just got to discover myself in data, how he’s driving, also on board. And obviously, I already checked videos from him in last year’s Grand Prix, how he his driving.

“And the thing is, I didn’t feel the trickiness yet, clear trickiness about the car.

“So, I’ll feel [it for] myself. And I’m sure it also depends on driving style, it will feel, behave a little bit different. So once I build a car, and yeah, I’m sure in my five years’ experience already, I believe that it will give some ideas to sort it out.

“And once I, you know, really struggle, whatever… No, I don’t think so. I’m still asking, and just kind of discover with my engineers, and the engineers I worked with so far are being very helpful, and already gave some ideas, what kind of characteristic that’s giving drivers very less confidence, everything.

“So I think every information are already stuck in my head, and it’s pretty clear. So, just to see how it goes after FP1.”

While Tsunoda made reference to a driving style influencing how the Red Bull RB21 responds, he does not believe he is going to need to change his after stepping up from Racing Bulls, following four seasons and a bit with the Red Bull junior team.

“I didn’t feel yet the exact trickiness what the driver is saying,” he reiterated, “and I can add a bit of an idea from the simulator, but it’s always a bit different from the simulator to real car.

“So I’ll see after FP1 if I have to change setup, but I don’t feel I have to change my driving style, because in the end, so far, it works well, I guess, with VCARB, otherwise, probably I wouldn’t be here wearing this logo.

“So I just do whatever I was doing previously, and I go step by step to build the pace and everything.

“But let’s see, maybe I don’t have to do that, the car is straight away good. And then last year’s, I think Red Bull had a pretty good performance last season, both cars. So, I’m quite looking forward to it.”

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However, Tsunoda added: “I, at the same time, can feel what the drivers were mentioning about the instability or driver confidence things.

“But I mean, I did multiple setups that I want to try to make it a little bit better. And actually those two days sim, was pretty productive, and at least I know now what kind of direction I want to start.

“And that seems to be also a good baseline as an overall performance as well. I think it was really, really good simulator sessions.”

Before descending on Suzuka, Tsunoda took part in a Red Bull event in Tokyo, where the four Red Bull-connected drivers – Verstappen, Tsunoda, Lawson and Isack Hadjar – were all present.

There, Tsunoda declared his goal to claim a first F1 podium on Red Bull debut in front of his home crowd, and ahead of the race weekend, he was asked if he could still dare to dream of such an achievement.

“Yeah, I mean, that would be great in the first race, home grand prix,” he said. “That’s obviously inside of my head.

“I would say more like dreaming for rather than target, to be honest. It will be tough. I’m expecting it’ll be challenging. Won’t be easy as a probably I think or probably people think.

“But, it’s such a limited time to adapt. And it’s another different beast as well. But I’ll do my best, and if I get all through Q3 and score points, I’m happy.”

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