Having entered F1 in 2021, the Japanese driver secured a promotion to the Austrian team this year to replace Liam Lawson, who was less competitive compared to his teammate. After a string of drivers who failed to cope with the pressure of racing alongside Max Verstappen, things might be changing. Red Bull is now providing positive feedback on Yuki Tsunoda’s performance so far.
Liam Lawson had only two races to show his potential. Given the disappointing results in Australia and China, the team quickly decided to replace him with driver number 22. Since joining Red Bull, Yuki Tsunoda has shown that he can deliver more than Liam Lawson with the car designed in Milton Keynes. The gap to Max Verstappen remains significant, considering that Yuki Tsunoda has finished in the points in two out of four races, with a ninth and a tenth place.
Beyond track performance, however, what stands out is his working style. Red Bull’s chief engineer explained: “He arrived, and right away he was straightforward with his feedback, polite, a good team member. He’s not afraid to speak his mind, he explains what he wants and what he doesn’t like, which is positive.”
Alex Albon, and more recently Liam Lawson, are just two of the drivers who couldn’t withstand the pressure of being Max Verstappen’s teammate. It’s now clear how difficult it is to share a garage with him, but Yuki Tsunoda is showing great composure in these early races. “He seems to be avoiding the intimidation of being Max’s teammate at the moment, which is really positive. I’m impressed.”
Will Yuki eventually catch up to Max and beat him, or will Red Bull’s lineup continue to reflect a clear hierarchy?
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