Yuki Tsunoda experienced yet another difficult Formula 1 race weekend at the Hungaroring, but beneath the surface, there were signs of progress. The Japanese driver, who currently competes for the Red Bull junior team, made small but concrete improvements thanks to the latest upgrades introduced on his car during the two most recent events at Spa-Francorchamps and Budapest. These updates, particularly effective in qualifying, helped him reduce the performance gap to his team-mate Max Verstappen. Despite the challenges faced during the Hungarian Grand Prix, Tsunoda’s post-race comments revealed strong determination and a desire to continue developing.
After being eliminated in Q1 during qualifying and forced to start from the pit lane, Yuki Tsunoda’s race was further compromised by contact at the start that damaged his car. To make matters worse, he also had to deal with communication problems throughout the race. In the end, he finished the Hungarian Grand Prix in 17th place, while Max Verstappen crossed the finish line in ninth position.
Closing the gap to Max Verstappen
Yuki Tsunoda emphasised that the gap to Max Verstappen is gradually shrinking. Although the final race result did not reflect this due to the many complications, he stressed that progress is being made, particularly over one lap in qualifying. He was eliminated in Q1 after setting the 16th fastest time, but the issues encountered during the race prevented any real opportunity to recover positions.
“Once the front wing was damaged, the resulting loss of grip completely compromised any chance of executing a competitive strategy. From that point on, the race was essentially over,” Tsunoda explained after the race.
Echoes of Spa
The Japanese driver also referenced the previous race in Belgium at Spa, noting a recurring issue with communication inside the team. At Spa, a delayed tyre change call had significantly penalised him. He pointed out that such problems have now occurred in back-to-back races, leaving him increasingly frustrated.
“There is a clear need to improve internal communication. This is now the second consecutive Grand Prix where we have lost important opportunities because of poor coordination during key moments of the race,” said Tsunoda, urging the team to react ahead of the next rounds.
Optimism for the future
Despite the run of difficult weekends, Yuki Tsunoda remains optimistic about the future. The floor upgrades applied to the car have allowed him to close the gap to Max Verstappen significantly — at least in qualifying — bringing him within just a few tenths of the Dutchman’s pace.
“In theory, we are very close in terms of pace. There aren’t many drivers on the grid who can say they’ve come that close to matching Max Verstappen in qualifying,” he stated with confidence.
However, despite this optimism, the reality remains that even a gap of a few tenths can be significant in modern Formula 1, particularly at certain circuits. On many tracks, that small margin can allow several other drivers to slot in between Tsunoda and Verstappen, pushing the Japanese driver back into the midfield or even lower. This issue has been compounded by the strong recent performances of rookie drivers such as Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar. Both young talents are aiming for a seat in the senior Red Bull Racing team and have consistently finished ahead of Tsunoda in recent races, adding further pressure on his position within the team.
As Formula 1 heads into the summer break, this short pause in the calendar will offer Yuki Tsunoda the chance to regroup, work closely with his engineers, and prepare for a stronger second half of the 2025 season. His goal will be to convert these small signs of progress into concrete race results, proving that he can remain a serious candidate for a future Red Bull seat.
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