Yuki Tsunoda: “I’m Still Learning – But I’m Getting There”
Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Jeddah – Thursday Media Round
Red Bull Racing’s Yuki Tsunoda spoke candidly during Thursday’s media session ahead of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, reflecting on his early days with the team, the unique challenges of adapting to a new car, and the fine margins that define modern Formula 1.
Despite not yet feeling fully settled, Tsunoda said his confidence is growing with each session. “It’s definitely better than how I started in Bahrain,” he said. “I’m just trying to understand how this car behaves—especially under braking and in the performance window it wants. I’m not even halfway there yet, but I’m working hard to catch up.”
Tsunoda admitted he’s still learning how to extract the most from the Red Bull car, especially in qualifying. “I want to be consistent throughout, but it’s still a bit up and down,” he said. “I can’t put it all together yet in quali and race, but I’m building the baseline.”
Asked about how much learning can be done off-track, Tsunoda highlighted the importance of experience and on-track feeling. “We’re always chatting with engineers, but the car behaves differently at every track,” he noted. “Even if someone tells me how it feels, I need to experience it myself to fully understand it.”
Tsunoda also addressed reports of high-level discussions within Red Bull after Bahrain, which had been a tough weekend for both himself and Max Verstappen. “The mood wasn’t the happiest,” he said. “There was definitely some frustration in the engineering room, but I wasn’t part of any high-level meetings.”
He added that the Bahrain layout exaggerated the car’s weaknesses. “Brake issues were there. It’s not something we can solve immediately, so I’ve stopped complaining and just try to cope with it.”
On Verstappen’s performance, Tsunoda was insightful: “Max can feel things I can’t yet—like tire warm-up and track evolution during qualifying. He adjusts lap by lap. I couldn’t feel that last race, maybe because I’m still not fully relaxed in this car.”
Still, Tsunoda remains optimistic. “I know I’m not going to be at full potential straight away,” he said. “But I feel I’m more in shape than I expected. I’m just slowly rushing back.”
As he looks to get through Q1 and fight further up the grid, Tsunoda’s focus is clear: “It’s always important to be where the team wants me to be. I know if I build a strong baseline, the pace will come.”
International journalists noted Tsunoda’s analytical approach and observed that, for now, he appears somewhat insulated from the internal tensions at Red Bull. His focus remains firmly on his own development—closing the gap to Max Verstappen and providing meaningful feedback to the engineers, particularly in areas like mid-corner balance on the RB21.
As the weekend unfolds, there’s hope that Tsunoda’s confidence in the car will continue to grow during Friday’s free practice sessions. Jeddah is a circuit that demands full commitment—where even the smallest mistake is punished severely.
