Yuki Tsunoda said it was not easy for him last season either when asked if he felt any sympathy for Liam Lawson having taken his Red Bull seat.

Red Bull swapped Tsunoda and Lawson for Japan onwards, having initially looked like they were passing over the long-time Racing Bulls driver, and the 24-year-old said the last few months were difficult for him too.

Yuki Tsunoda shares thoughts on ‘sympathy’ for Liam Lawson

There was a great deal of sympathy felt in the paddock for Lawson, who lost his Red Bull dream seat after just two races but when asked if he felt the same, Tsunoda suggested the decision had also been hard for him.

“Well it wasn’t easy for me as well at the end of last season,” Tsunoda told Sky. “He did his best for sure. We all did our best and he got the Red Bull seat which was fair and I just had to accept it.

“He’ll bounce back very strongly in the RB. RB is currently in good shape. The people there are amazing, very supportive.

“If we have all four cars fighting top 10, there’s probably the best Red Bull result ever so we have to bounce back strongly.”

Tsunoda drove 89 times for the sister team but was routinely passed over for the Red Bull seat, so much so that he admitted he felt like it was a chance that was never going to come.

“To be honest, I felt like the test at the end of the season was the biggest chance and closest I went throughout my career and it didn’t happen,” he said.

“A little bit shocking I would say [but] is what it is.”

More on the Liam Lawson/Yuki Tsunoda Red Bull swap

What Christian Horner really thought of Tsunoda and Lawson’s first-race swap

Liam Lawson’s ‘get on with it’ verdict after Racing Bulls return

Despite Tsunoda finishing 12th in his first race, Red Bull team boss Christian Horner said the Japanese driver showed signs that he will make a step forward in the upcoming races.

“That race was totally dominated by qualifying, and probably 90% of the drivers finished where they qualified,” Horner said.

“He made one pass, and then we undercut Pierre [Gasly] during the pit stops, and then he was stuck behind Fernando [Alonso].

“So he’s dialed himself into the car. He’s dialed himself into the team and I think he should make a step forward, certainly over the next few races.”

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