Tsunoda Struggles in Austrian GP as Red Bull Pace Evades Him
Yuki Tsunoda’s performance at the Austrian Grand Prix was a stark reminder of the challenges faced by drivers even in top teams. After starting from 18th, Tsunoda finished last of the classified runners, unable to break into the points for Red Bull Racing.
The 25-year-old Japanese driver has had a disappointing stint since moving from sister team AlphaTauri, accumulating only seven points across eight races, a stark contrast to his teammate Max Verstappen’s consistent podium finishes.
“The pace itself was pretty poor. I’m not sure what I’m doing completely wrong," Tsunoda stated post-race. He elaborated on the struggle to identify the disparity in performance compared to Verstappen, indicating that analyzing data with engineers has not yielded clear insights. “The delta in pace is massive… I feel like the tyre is just melting lap by lap,” he added, citing tire degradation as a critical issue.
The race was further complicated for Tsunoda after receiving a 10-second penalty for colliding with Franco Colapinto’s Alpine at Turn 4. “The collision with Franco is my bad, obviously,” Tsunoda acknowledged, admitting the maneuver was poor and extending an apology to his team.
Despite these challenges, Tsunoda remains committed to improving his performance, stating, “I have to find the reasons, but it’s hard to find them for now.” As the season progresses, the pressure will be on Tsunoda to adapt and elevate his standing within the competitive landscape of Formula 1.
