Yuki Tsunoda could become a “legend” for Red Bull in his last Formula 1 race of all things – What team boss Laurent Mekies demands of the Japanese driver
Since Tuesday, it has been officially confirmed that Yuki Tsunoda will compete in his last Formula 1 race for the time being at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (here is the complete schedule). The decision to promote Isack Hadjar from Racing Bulls to Red Bull means that the Japanese driver will lose his cockpit.
But in the season finale in Abu Dhabi, of all places, Tsunoda could once again write himself into the Red Bull history books by providing decisive support to his teammate Max Verstappen and helping the Dutchman celebrate his fifth world championship title.
“It will be extremely important for Yuki to be 100 percent fit,” said team boss Laurent Mekies, already putting pressure on Tsunoda. “We need another strong weekend in Abu Dhabi because we will need everything we can get.”
And for good reason: Verstappen can no longer win his fifth title on his own. If championship leader Lando Norris finishes on the podium, he will be assured of the championship title, even if the Dutchman wins the race.
Will Yuki Tsunoda be a stumbling block for Norris?
However, no one expects Tsunoda himself to finish in the top three and thus knock Norris off the podium. After more than a hundred Formula 1 starts, the 25-year-old Japanese driver is still waiting for his first podium finish, and even in Abu Dhabi, this scenario seems unlikely.
That leaves only one alternative: Tsunoda could become a brake pad for Norris and hold up the Brit when he returns to the track after his tire change. To do so, however, the Red Bull driver would have to be fast enough beforehand to prevent the gap from becoming too big.
Sergio Perez once gave us a taste of how something like this can work: the Mexican acted as a brake block for Lewis Hamilton in the 2021 finale, helping Verstappen win the title. “Checo is a legend!” the Dutchman cheered over the radio at the time. Now the Japanese driver could follow in his footsteps…