Suzuka: Red Bull’s second seat still off the pace, Yuki Tsunoda under scrutiny. Yuki Tsunoda Fails to Impress at Home as Red Bull’s Second Seat Falters.

Yuki Tsunoda’s Red Bull debut didn’t dazzle: in the Japanese GP he finished only twelfth, but Helmut Marko defends the choice. The young—but now experienced—driver from Milton Keynes, promoted from Racing Bulls in a ruthless swap with Liam Lawson, seems to have satisfied his key observers. The upcoming races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia will now be crucial.

He was expected to revive Red Bull’s second car, but ended up outside the points: at first glance, Yuki Tsunoda’s home Grand Prix appears quite disappointing. At the center of the shocking swap that returned Liam Lawson to Racing Bulls after just two races, expectations for the Japanese driver are sky-high. After many of his predecessors failed, it’s now up to him to keep up with Max Verstappen’s pace.

It’s no easy task, especially with an RB21 far from perfect. It’s a difficult car to drive, unstable, and only really excels in the expert hands of the Dutchman. The Sagamihara native will have to tame his new machine, where Lawson seemed to have already lost his way. At the very least, Yuki Tsunoda appears capable of getting closer to the car’s limit.

The few (but concise) words from Helmut Marko
At Suzuka, the Austrian team once again had to rely solely on points from its star Dutch driver. Max Verstappen held off the two McLarens and secured a win that was as unexpected as it was crucial in the title fight. The other Red Bull, however, once again finished outside the points.

Helmut Marko, asked by Motorsport.com about his new driver’s performance, had very few words: “It was good. He was just unlucky with that mistake in Q2, but it was a good performance.” Indeed, there are valid excuses: Yuki Tsunoda searched for the limit on Saturday, finding it more easily than Liam Lawson had done. Overtaking during the race was tough for everyone.

Now the Japanese driver needs time—something that wasn’t given to his predecessor. Stability is key to growth, which, for a Formula 1 driver, must be constant and backed by the team. It’s worth noting that the 24-year-old, despite being in his fifth season in F1, didn’t get to test the RB21 during winter testing, which he completed with the “junior” team in Faenza.