Yuki Tsunoda is still vying for a contract with Red Bull. After nearly four years with the AlphaTauri/Visa RB training team, the Japanese driver hopes to inherit Sergio Pérez’s seat in 2025. However, his new teammate, Liam Lawson, is also in the running for promotion. A costly crash during the qualifying round for the Mexican Grand Prix could prove expensive for Tsunoda. “Tsunoda is still unstable,” commented Helmut Marko.
The Japanese driver qualified in eleventh place, ahead of teammate Liam Lawson. A commendable result, were it not for Tsunoda crashing into the wall in the final seconds of Q2. A costly mistake, especially as Red Bull’s team management is closely monitoring his performance. Will Liam Lawson ultimately come out on top?”He (Yuki Tsunoda) is still too unstable,” responded Helmut Marko gravely. “In Austin, he had a minor spin, and now he crashes in the qualifiers. We thought he had become more stable, but apparently, that’s not the case. As the pressure on Lawson decreases, this is becoming increasingly noticeable.” Lawson outperformed his teammate during his comeback in Austin and immediately finished in the points. Tsunoda, on the advice of sponsor Honda, is expected to have a test with Red Bull soon.
‘Totally unnecessary’
With the crash, Tsunoda also wrote off a number of crucial upgrades on his VCARB 01. “He was using a new floor,” said Marko. “I’m not sure if the team even has enough spare parts. It’s clear that it was a totally unnecessary crash.” Tsunoda was also disappointed afterwards that he had to end the session this way. “I lost control due to a lock-up,” he said about the crash. “As a result, I just couldn’t make the turn.”
“I’m very sorry it had to end this way,” the Japanese driver continued. “Implementing a good strategy won’t be easy, but I’ll do what I can,” he looked ahead to the race. “The car is still fast, so hopefully I can maximize a bit in the clean air. In the previous race, my teammate went from the last place to the top ten, so anything can happen.”
