Yuki Tsunoda takes a jab at Racing Bulls: “I definitely expected more”. Yuki Tsunoda was not pleased with the Racing Bulls strategy in China.

No points
The potential shown by Racing Bulls throughout the Chinese Grand Prix weekend could have realistically translated into a double points finish for the Faenza-based team. Sixth in the Saturday Sprint race, Yuki Tsunoda then reached Q3 alongside his teammate Isack Hadjar. However, both drivers faced incidents during the race that compromised a top-ten finish, in addition to a two-stop strategy that further penalized them.

All the disappointment
Tsunoda was particularly unlucky, forced to pit for front wing damage and finishing a disappointing 16th. Now, he looks ahead to the next race in his home country, Suzuka, while awaiting a possible promotion to Red Bull in place of Liam Lawson, who has delivered underwhelming performances. “I’m very disappointed; I definitely expected more,” he admitted. “The way this race ended is certainly not what I wanted. We didn’t have the same pace as in the Sprint race, and we need to analyze that. Strategy is also something we have to review. I can understand the reasoning behind it, but the main takeaway is how to prevent these situations in the future. The front wing damage was frustrating—maybe it was debris, we’ll investigate—but some things are just unfortunate. At least I scored points in the Sprint race, which is important. We have good pace in the car, so we remain positive. The next race is Suzuka, and my motivation comes naturally from within.”

Close to his first F1 points
Frustration also for Isack Hadjar, who finished just outside the points in 11th place after being forced off track by Jack Doohan. “It’s a shame. I’m disappointed because we definitely expected points. I had a good start that put us in a strong position, but I think my first lap could have been better to avoid some of the chaos. The car performed well all weekend, and we had really strong pace throughout the race. I was even able to stay close to other cars on the same tires, so I’m happy with my driving. What happened was out of my control, but I can’t help but think how the race would have played out with a one-stop strategy. We’ll review everything with the team before heading to Japan.”