Yuki Tsunoda, snubbed by Aston Martin F1, hopes Honda’s 2026 V6 will shine as he faces RB F1’s mysterious evolutions this weekend.
In the heat of Barcelona, RB F1 experienced a real cold shower. The team brought significant updates (floor, rear wing…) to Spain…
But these updates didn’t work at all: both RB F1 cars were eliminated in Q1.
Are these new parts completely flawed? Or are the right settings yet to be found?
Some answers will come this weekend in the sprint format at the Red Bull Ring… and for now, Yuki Tsunoda is still scratching his head. The Japanese driver admits these new parts are a mystery to his team.
“I hope to have a clear explanation this week, but it’s obvious the team is taking this issue very seriously. We still see what we wanted to see in the data after the race, but, yes, somehow it doesn’t work well. Yes, we saw two or three things that could be causing it, but there’s no clear answer yet, so…”
“It’s a bit of a mystery for us and it’s obvious we could have done better on the settings or something. But, yes, it still doesn’t explain why we lost so much compared to previous races.”
The problem is that RB F1 will only have one hour of free practice this weekend to find the right settings. Another solution would be to abandon the updates and revert to the old specification.
Is this being considered according to Yuki Tsunoda? The Japanese driver specifies that the two RB F1 cars will run with two different specifications in Austria, for direct comparisons.
“So we are going to test both cars, even though this weekend is in sprint format. We wanted to know these answers as soon as possible by comparing the cars. It’s not a question of new or old specification.”
“We are still bringing new parts this week. It’s a bit of a mix. We know the answer, the causes, and the direction to take in the future.”
Who will be Tsunoda’s teammate next year?
That’s for the short term. For the medium term, particularly next year, Yuki Tsunoda is likely preparing to change teammates. Daniel Ricciardo seems indeed condemned, according to Helmut Marko’s words…
Which driver would Yuki Tsunoda like to have as a teammate next year? Someone young? Or experienced?
“Both.”
As for Yuki Tsunoda’s own future… it has darkened a bit. Lance Stroll has been extended for two years at Aston Martin F1. Fernando Alonso will also still be under contract in 2026 with the green team.
Therefore, the prospect of Yuki Tsunoda joining Aston Martin F1 for 2026 (as Aston will then have a Honda V6, a Japanese power unit) is cooling off.
How did Yuki Tsunoda react to Lance Stroll’s extension? What is he aiming for in 2026? Is he ready not to drive for Honda?
“We don’t know. It will be interesting to see if they (Honda) can be one of the competitors, the strongest competitor I have to beat. In that case, I will be happy and excited to compete with them, knowing they will have a good engine.”
“And, yes, you never know. If I drive with them, it will still be good. But, yes, so far… if I’m part of the Red Bull family, it will still be just as exciting. And, you know, you never say goodbye completely, anyway.”
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Tsunoda Eyes Honda’s 2026 V6 Amid RB F1 Mysteries. Tsunoda Eyes Honda’s 2026 V6 Amid RB F1 Mysteries
