Racing Bulls defies expectations as Tsunoda grabs P5 and Hadjar narrowly misses Q3 in an impressive qualifying performance at the Australian GP.
Racing Bulls has emerged as one of the biggest surprises of the Melbourne weekend. While most expected Red Bull’s second team to be stuck in the midfield, much like in 2024, they proved everyone wrong by making it to Q3 with both cars. Even more impressively, Yuki Tsunoda clinched a stunning fifth place on the grid!
For the Japanese driver, this result was completely unexpected, as he admitted after the session.
“I didn’t expect this result at all today—certainly not P5. I was hoping to make it into the top 10, but this is beyond my expectations.”
“I knew the midfield would be tight, but that last lap was magic. Everything just clicked. I got a little tow from Lando, which definitely helped, and I appreciate that.”
“The lap time was a bit of a surprise, but the car has been solid all weekend. The team has done an amazing job. Honestly, I’m amazed at how much we’ve improved since Abu Dhabi. This result is a testament to all the hard work put in over the winter. Big credit to the whole team and the factory.”
Now, the focus shifts to converting this pace into a strong race result.
“We know there will be some rain tomorrow, but we’re ready. The car feels great, and I’m confident we can perform well. We just need to stay focused.”
Hadjar Narrowly Misses Q3 in His F1 Debut
For Isack Hadjar, it was a solid first-ever F1 qualifying session, securing P11—just six hundredths of a second away from Q3. While the Frenchman was hoping for a bit more, he remained positive.
“Honestly, it’s not bad. But it’s frustrating to miss Q3 by just six hundredths!”
“I felt great in Q1, but in Q2, I couldn’t quite find that extra bit of speed. I didn’t feel as comfortable on my first run, and the second attempt wasn’t much better. I was only a tenth and a half off Yuki.”
“If I had made it to Q3, I probably wouldn’t have been too far behind him. The car is working well! My first Grand Prix in the rain? A little scary, but it also brings opportunities. I feel like we can do something special.”
With both Racing Bulls drivers in strong positions and rain in the forecast, Sunday’s race in Melbourne could be full of surprises.
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Racing Bulls Stuns in Melbourne – Tsunoda P5, Hadjar Close! Racing Bulls Stuns in Melbourne – Tsunoda P5, Hadjar Close!
