Yuki Tsunoda is struggling with his confidence in the car and expectations at Red Bull – but ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix, the Japanese driver is hopeful
Since joining Red Bull’s A team, Yuki Tsunoda has been under intense scrutiny. The 2025 Formula 1 season brings more than just sporting challenges for the Japanese driver. It demands adaptability, mental maturity, and technical finesse. So far, he has fallen short of expectations.
Tsunoda has only scored points in three of nine races. He is already 127 points behind his teammate Max Verstappen. After a difficult weekend in Barcelona with P13, Tsunoda is now hoping for a turning point in Canada.
His summary after the race in Spain was clear: “To be honest, it can’t get any worse than this weekend.” He noticed on the way to the starting grid that the car had not improved. The setup changes made at short notice helped only a little.
“The last step didn’t really make much difference. But even though the pace wasn’t at the level we were aiming for, it was okay compared to the midfield, and there was potential to get more out of it,” believes Tsunoda.
However, the Red Bull driver is not dwelling on starting from the pit lane: “It was probably better that way. At least it’s something we can learn from. I’m grateful that the team was fully behind me and supported this setup change. But yes, in the end, it just didn’t feel any different.”
Still lacking complete confidence in the car
One central theme runs through Tsunoda’s statements: he has not yet found the right feel for the Red Bull RB21. “With the previous car, I knew what was happening in the background, how the car behaved. I was able to push it harder. But I don’t fully trust the car yet. That’s normal to some extent.”
This uncertainty is particularly noticeable in qualifying, where every hundredth of a second counts. “Those few milliseconds, a few tenths, are pretty crucial. And that’s exactly what Max can get out of it more than I can,” he knows.
Nevertheless, Tsunoda sees some rays of hope: “It’s been up and down, but at least I’m happy with the pace I’m showing – in a few sessions. I still have a lot of work to do to get to Max’s level. But in some sessions, I was at least able to keep up. It’s mixed.”
Canada offers a glimmer of hope: change planned
One possible key to improvement lies in the work in the simulator. But Tsunoda remains realistic: “In my view, the simulator is more for the team to test things we want to try out on the track. Time is very limited there anyway, so we can’t test every setup.”
“We want to explore a few things there. Maybe my engineer will find a good direction or characteristics that suit my driving style,” the Japanese driver looks ahead.
One thing is clear: Red Bull has planned a new direction for Canada in close consultation with Tsunoda. “It’s something we want to try out in Canada. I’m glad the team is fully on board and trying to give me something I want to test. Hopefully it will make a difference.”
When asked whether the track in Canada suits him or the car, the Red Bull driver says: “I don’t know if I’ve scored points there yet. Last year, I was in the points until I spun in the final laps.”
So his memories are mixed, but Tsunoda generally likes the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve: “It’s a track that I actually quite like.”