Red Bull currently sits fourth in the Constructors’ Championship, just 8 points behind third place. Of the 290 points accumulated this season, 273 have come courtesy of four-time World Champion Max Verstappen.
Yuki Tsunoda, Max Verstappen’s teammate, seemed to have regained momentum during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, scoring 8 points with a sixth-place finish. After that promising result, and with a potential contract extension for next year in mind, expectations were that the Japanese driver’s performance would continue to improve in the final races of the season, aided by a better car.
However, Yuki Tsunoda failed to deliver at Singapore, finishing the race in 12th position. During Saturday qualifying, he managed only 13th, and a disastrous first lap on Sunday saw him drop to 17th on the grid.
“The worst first lap of my life”
“It was definitely the worst start and the worst first lap of my life. I still can’t believe what happened. Every time I tried to push in the first-lap corners, I was blocked or covered by someone. I had no space to overtake. I lost so many positions in that first lap,” Yuki Tsunoda admitted.
“I don’t know what I should have done there. I’m sure I could have managed something better. That situation made the rest of the race very difficult. Honestly, the pace was one of the best I’ve had with Red Bull so far.”
Looking ahead to Austin
Despite the disappointing race, Yuki Tsunoda remains optimistic ahead of Austin, encouraged by the improved race pace that was masked by his poor start in Singapore. “Until two races ago, I felt almost hopeless. With the pace I had, no matter what I did, I would end up 18th or 19th. But this time, my pace was really good, very competitive at the front. Now I just need to find grip on a single lap.”
“I think putting everything together — race pace and qualifying pace — is the key. That’s my goal. The car is definitely not easy to drive. Max was fighting for P2 while I was fighting in a completely different part of the track,” he added.
Time is running out, and Red Bull has yet to confirm its second driver for next season. Will Yuki Tsunoda remain the best choice?
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