Christian Horner has stated that Yuki Tsunoda is still in the process of adjusting to his role at Red Bull following a quiet weekend at the Japanese Grand Prix.
Tsunoda struggled in qualifying, starting in 15th place after a mistake on his final Q2 run, which put him behind Liam Lawson, the driver he replaced at Red Bull. Although he made progress by overtaking Lawson on the opening lap and successfully undercutting Alpine’s Pierre Gasly during the pit stop phase, he spent the rest of the race stuck behind Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso.
“Yuki has settled into the team and provided good feedback,” said Horner. “His P1 session was strong, and P3 was fine. He was only a tenth behind Max in Q1. In Q2, he made a mistake after going 15 kph faster than he had ever gone into Turn 1. That moment set him back for the rest of the lap.”
Horner explained that Tsunoda’s poor qualifying performance had a direct impact on his race. “Had he qualified better, his race would have been better. Now he’s adjusting to the team, and we expect to see improvement over the next few races.”
Tsunoda reflected on his weekend with “mixed feelings.” While he was pleased with his performance in practice, he was disappointed with his overall result. “I was hoping to finish in the points, especially at my home Grand Prix. It’s a mixed feeling, but I’m learning and gaining confidence in the car,” he said. He believes that a better qualifying position would have changed his race outcome. “I feel in control toward the end of the race. With another qualifying session, I’m sure things would have been different. I’m happy considering the amount of time I’ve had in the car. With Max as my teammate, I can learn a lot, and I’m looking forward to Bahrain.”
Meanwhile, Lawson, who had his first Q2 appearance this season, ended the race in 17th place after a strategy with medium-soft tyres didn’t work out. “I need to keep building and getting used to the car. We had good pace, but unfortunately not when we needed it. Still, there are positives to take away,” he said.
Isack Hadjar, on the other hand, impressed once again, qualifying seventh and finishing eighth behind Lewis Hamilton. Despite some initial seatbelt issues during qualifying, which he communicated with distress on the radio, Hadjar showed strong speed. This performance was particularly significant after his crash in the Australian Grand Prix’s formation lap earlier in the season.
When asked about his future with Red Bull, Hadjar expressed contentment with his current position but wouldn’t turn down an opportunity to join the team. “I’m happy where I am right now, but I would never refuse the call. Honestly, I’m just enjoying myself at the moment.”
