The Dutch Grand Prix delivered Yuki Tsunoda a long-awaited result, his first points since the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix earlier this season. Despite finishing only ninth, the Japanese driver had to fight until the very end with a technical issue that made managing his car far more difficult.
Tsunoda’s race at Zandvoort
Starting from twelfth on the grid, Tsunoda was able to make the most of favorable circumstances to climb up the order on a circuit where overtaking remains notoriously difficult. However, a mistake in engine mode selection during his final pit stop forced him to complete the last laps with irregular acceleration, turning every corner into a test of sensitivity and control. Despite the setback, the Japanese driver kept calm and secured two valuable points that could be crucial for his future with the team.
Reflecting on his race in the Netherlands, Tsunoda said:
“It was a crazy race, I had a big problem in the last stint where I lost power in the car. It was a tough race to manage, the Safety Cars came at terrible moments for me and then we had the issue, so it was a difficult one. Despite everything I stayed focused and tried to adapt to the problem to make it into the points, which we did. I’m happy with P9 and it’s positive to be back in the points, it gives me confidence.”
The Japanese driver also highlighted how the team has helped him grow and that the hard work is finally paying off after the Dutch GP:
“In the last three races the team has given me a lot to improve the car’s performance, and this is a step in the right direction. Also, my warmest congratulations go to Isack and his team, because I know how much this result means to them.”
Laurent Mekies explains what happened
After the race, Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies was asked what exactly happened with Tsunoda’s car. He explained that the issue started during the Japanese driver’s final pit stop.
On lap 54, Tsunoda came in for fresh tyres. As usual, his engineer Richard Wood instructed him to switch to “strat 12” mode for the pit lane entry, reminding him to return to “strat 11” after the stop. However, the driver was unable to reset the car back to its standard mode and, under FIA regulations, it was no longer possible to change it afterwards. As a result, Tsunoda was stuck in launch mode until the chequered flag.
“We were locked in the wrong engine map after the final stop. Basically, he drove the last part of the race with a throttle map that was really, really unfriendly,” explained Mekies.
In the end, the fact that Yuki Tsunoda still finished ninth despite a potentially devastating problem only adds to the value of the result. The Japanese driver handled the situation with maturity, scoring important points and boosting his confidence. It wasn’t an easy scenario: Tsunoda still needs to convince Red Bull that he deserves a seat next year. Will he succeed? We’ll find out soon.
Leave a Reply