Helmut Marko explains how Yuki Tsunoda managed to qualify ahead of Max Verstappen for the first time during the sprint qualifying in Qatar. According to the Red Bull advisor, the soft tires worked better on the Japanese driver’s RB21, and Tsunoda’s choice for a more stable rear end turned out to be the right one: ‘That was a better solution,’ reveals Marko.
The outcome of the sprint qualifying came as a surprise, particularly for Red Bull fans. Yuki Tsunoda finished ahead of teammate Max Verstappen in a qualifying session for the first time. While it’s a small boost for the Japanese driver who is still fighting for his seat next year, advisor Helmut Marko knows the reason behind it.
“We were competitive on the medium tires,” the Austrian concludes to the media in Qatar. “And just like in the first free practice, we were also competitive on the hard tires.” According to Marko, the problem therefore lies with the softest compound. “The changes we made clearly did not solve our problem with the soft tires.”
‘Better Solution’
“The soft tires worked better on Yuki’s car,” Marko continues his explanation. “Yuki gained a tenth in the first corner. The change is mainly: Max wanted a stronger front end, Yuki wanted a more stable rear end, and the latter was a better solution. But fortunately, it’s only the sprint. For the qualifying, we need to solve our weakness on the soft tires.” Both Red Bull drivers will start the sprint race side by side from the third row.
