Liam Lawson believes Yuki Tsunoda will excel in his Red Bull debut at Suzuka, feeling more at ease on the familiar track.
Lawson believes that his replacement at Red Bull Racing will perform better than he did at Suzuka. He wishes Yuki Tsunoda the best of luck and is confident the Japanese driver will feel “more comfortable” making his Red Bull debut at the Japanese Grand Prix. But what makes Lawson so sure?
“The situation in China was a bit different,” Lawson explains.
“For the race, we tried a pretty aggressive approach with the setup. The goal was to gather data and set a direction for the car. We went with that approach, but in the end, it didn’t quite work in China, especially with the front tire degradation. The car itself was decent, but we had trouble with the tires.”
“Suzuka is a completely different challenge. For Yuki, it’s a great opportunity on a track he knows well. I’m sure he’ll feel more at ease. I’m also sure they’ve been working during the short break to improve things based on my experiences.”
Lawson hopes that the factors that impacted his performance with Red Bull will be considered more carefully for the second driver.
“Formula 1 is motorsport. Problems arise, and it’s part of the game, especially with cars pushing the limits as they do. I would have liked it if these challenges had been taken into account a bit more, if I had been given more time.”
“But now, it’s Suzuka. For me, it’s crucial to come to a track where I’ve already raced and tested.”
“Melbourne and China are both challenging circuits, and the weekends weren’t easy. But that’s motorsport. The decision isn’t mine, but I’ll make the most of it.”
Back with Racing Bulls, the team he drove for last year, Lawson quickly adapted to the familiar environment.
“We’ve done some simulator work, and everything went well before coming here. Of course, you never really know until you’re behind the wheel, so tomorrow will be the real test.”
“It’ll probably take a session or two to fully get back in the groove, but with three free practice sessions here, I’ll make the most of them.”
Lawson Confident Tsunoda Will Shine at Suzuka Debut Lawson Confident Tsunoda Will Shine at Suzuka Debut
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