Yuki Tsunoda insists he has no regrets about his move to Red Bull. The Japanese driver has yet to make a significant impact since his debut for the Austrian team, while Racing Bulls’ driver Isack Hadjar is impressing in Tsunoda’s old car. However, the newest Red Bull driver is satisfied with his pace in the RB21. “In the past, there weren’t many drivers who were faster than Max Verstappen in some sessions,” said the Japanese driver.
Yuki Tsunoda seems to still be adjusting to the RB21, his new car since moving to Red Bull. The Japanese driver’s stint with the Austrians so far hit a low point on Saturday in Barcelona when he was eliminated in Q1 of the qualifying round and had to start the race in twentieth place. Tsunoda only managed to score one World Championship point during the entire triple header, causing Red Bull to drop to fourth place. Meanwhile, his former teammate at Racing Bulls, Isack Hadjar, is thriving. The Frenchman has even amassed eleven more points than Tsunoda.
Does Tsunoda perhaps miss his car at Racing Bulls? The Japanese driver himself said no when asked about it in Barcelona. “Of course, I’m happy with Red Bull and it’s nice to see that Racing Bulls has made good progress since last year,” Tsunoda explains. The driver says he is satisfied with his current pace at Red Bull. “Only this Grand Prix (Spain) was really strange, but I still believe that I can do something better, something that no one expected. I am now fully focused on Red Bull, on how I can work even better.”
Comparing with Verstappen
The setback in Barcelona, where Yuki Tsunoda finished outside the points after a disappointing qualification, does not cause too much concern for the driver. “This Grand Prix felt a bit strange,” Tsunoda continues. “So I’m not thinking too much about this race. Apart from that, it’s up and down, but I’m at least happy with the pace I’m showing. And there weren’t many drivers in the past who were faster than Max Verstappen in some sessions. So to get to his level, I definitely need to take many steps, but there have already been a few sessions where I can compare myself with him.”
The Japanese driver even believes that he can gradually bridge the gap to Max Verstappen, once he can get everything out of the RB21 during a qualifying round. “Certainly, in the qualification, in the last few tenths, Max is able to get more out of the car,” Tsunoda explains. “During the qualifications, the state of the circuit sometimes changes, and I’m still trying to find the limit there. I don’t have full confidence in the car yet. Those few milliseconds, those few tenths are very important. So for now, Max definitely gets more out of it than I do.”
