Yuki Tsunoda Falters in Monaco, but Red Bull Sees Promise

MONACO — For Yuki Tsunoda, the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix was supposed to be a statement weekend—a proving ground not only for his talent but also for his right to drive at the top tier of Formula 1 with Red Bull Racing. Instead, it unfolded as a cautionary tale: a misfiring weekend marked by media missteps, strategic setbacks, and a finish that left his critics emboldened.

Tsunoda qualified 12th and finished a distant 17th—his third failure to reach Q3 since his mid-season promotion to the senior team. Most surprisingly, he lost a position at the start to Nico Hulkenberg. His manager declined to speak to the press, and the driver himself, visibly frustrated, offered few insights in the paddock afterward. Yet as underwhelming as the headline result may appear, a closer look at Tsunoda’s weekend backed up by insiders at Red Bull suggest the outcome deserves a more nuanced reading.

A Weekend Doomed Early

Much of Tsunoda’s struggles in Monaco trace back to a mistake made one week earlier at Imola. His crash in Q1 during the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix incurred a cost Red Bull estimated at £1 million—an unwelcome blow under the constraints of Formula 1’s cost cap. More consequentially, the damage disrupted Red Bull’s upgrade cycle. Heading into Monaco, Tsunoda was still running an older-spec RB21, including an older underfloor trailing teammate Max Verstappen not only in pace but also in equipment.

Team adviser Helmut Marko confirmed as much on Saturday: “We actually hoped he would reach the top ten. But as I stated before, he drove with an old-spec car. Due to the limited time between the Imola and Monaco Grands Prix, we didn’t have the opportunity to bring the necessary new parts.”

Christian Horner, Red Bull’s team principal, echoed that view. “Yuki is in the situation he is in because of the damage from his shunt last weekend. As we manage to catch back up, then he will get the parts on the car.”

That context matters when evaluating Tsunoda’s qualifying performance. In Q2, he managed a 1:11.415—over half a second slower than his 2024 effort in the much less competitive VCARB. Last year, he reached Q3 and qualified eighth to this year P12. This time, the car—and the moment—appeared to get the better of him.

Emotional Turbulence

If the on-track struggles were substantial, they were matched by visible tension off-track. During Thursday’s media session, Tsunoda appeared unusually agitated. When asked by a Japanese journalist to respond to recent comments made by his father, Nobuaki Tsunoda, he bristled: “I’m not listening to my dad, so it’s okay… I don’t care. I know myself enough.”

The exchange left reporters in the room visibly uncomfortable. Some later remarked privately that Tsunoda’s tone had crossed a line of professional decorum. His father, in an interview with Yahoo Sports Japan, had questioned his son’s emotional discipline following the Imola crash—remarks that, while pointed, were not uncharacteristic of a concerned parent.

“In his rookie year, he crashed in qualifying at Imola too,” the elder Tsunoda said. “Now in his fifth year, he’s making the same mistake again? That’s the troubling part.”

The dynamic raised questions about Tsunoda’s composure under pressure—an issue that has followed him throughout his F1 career. His temperament has improved markedly since his early days, but moments like these suggest that the emotional undercurrents remain.

Team Orders and Radio Frustration

Despite the early tension, Tsunoda’s weekend began with promise. He performed solidly in Friday practice, running close to Verstappen’s lap times and avoiding incidents—an encouraging sign given his limited car spec.

But the momentum evaporated in Saturday qualifying. A team instruction during Q2 to allow Verstappen past appeared to fluster Tsunoda, who voiced frustration over team radio.

“It’s so unfair, honestly,” he said. “I knew that was going to happen like this. I knew it…”

The timing of the instruction—just before a red flag—meant that while Verstappen set a flying lap, Tsunoda did not. After the session, he alluded to the incident again, suggesting that internal team decisions compromised his chance to advance.

Red Bull engineers later explained that the instruction stemmed from differing run plans. Verstappen was on a push lap; Tsunoda was on a build lap. The swap, they argued, was routine. In hindsight, Tsunoda’s frustration may have been misplaced—an impulsive response to an already difficult session.

“Just Bring It Home”

In the race, Tsunoda had little chance for recovery. Stuck in traffic after losing a place at the start to Nico Hulkenberg, he spent much of the afternoon in a holding pattern. He was fortunate enough to get away unscathed after Pierre Gasly tapped the rear of his RB21.

“He was just sat in a queue the entire race,” Horner said. “But he did his fastest laps at the end. Very difficult for him to do anything today.”

Yet Red Bull leadership praised Tsunoda’s discipline on Sunday. “He kept it clean and brought it home,” Horner added. “That’s what we needed.”

Marko’s Continued Support

What may offer Tsunoda the most reassurance is the continued backing of Helmut Marko. Speaking in Imola before the crash, Marko offered rare praise.

“Only one tenth off—no one’s been that close [to Verstappen] in a while,” Marko said. “He worked well without drawing much attention. The car’s nervous behavior doesn’t seem to bother him; he doesn’t complain—he just drives.”

Such comments carry weight. Marko is not known for empty praise, particularly not within the context of Red Bull’s ruthlessly competitive driver pipeline.

His raw speed is evident. So too is his ability to absorb pressure—on occasion. What remains in question is whether he can channel his emotional volatility into focus rather than frustration.

In Monaco, Tsunoda did his job—but only just. He stayed out of trouble, kept the car intact, and provided support when needed. Yet his radio outbursts and sharp media tone overshadowed what could have been viewed as a solid damage-limitation weekend.

If Tsunoda is to make the most of his Red Bull opportunity, that will need to change. The last thing Red Bull can afford is a repeat of the Sergio Pérez scenario: frequent crashes, public complaints, and attempts to shift blame onto the team. That kind of noise is counterproductive—especially in a season where Red Bull’s leadership is doing everything it can to keep Max Verstappen beyond 2025.

A more disciplined, composed approach would benefit not only Red Bull but also Tsunoda’s long-term future—potentially alongside Max Verstappen—provided he seizes the opportunities that are likely to come sooner rather than later.