Yuki Tsunoda shines in FP1 on Red Bull debut, while Verstappen battles setup issues during a chaotic second session in Japan.
Friday Practice in Japan: FP1 offers clearer insights than FP2 chaos
All eyes were on Red Bull Racing today—not just for Max Verstappen’s usual pace, but for Yuki Tsunoda, stepping in for Liam Lawson and making his first on-track appearance in the RB21.
Tsunoda made an early statement in FP1, finishing 6th and impressively close to Verstappen. FP2, however, didn’t go quite as smoothly, with the Japanese driver ending up 18th after a session disrupted by red flags.
“The first session was better than I expected,” Tsunoda said. “It was a strong start for me. I didn’t get a fast lap in FP2—I focused on learning the long runs with the RB21, but the red flags got in the way.”
“There’s still a lot of work to do. We need to dig into the data from FP2. Overall though, it’s going okay. I just need to build confidence.”
Driving the Red Bull F1 car for the first time was a new experience for Tsunoda, and it came with a few surprises.
“Honestly, it felt a bit different from the simulator. There were more sensations than I expected—it was all just a bit more intense. I knew it wouldn’t be the same, but the real car just amplifies everything.”
As for Max Verstappen, who only managed 8th in FP2, the reigning champion wasn’t thrilled with how the day unfolded.
“It was pretty messy for everyone with all the red flags,” Verstappen admitted. “We tried a lot of different things with the car setup, but nothing really clicked. That made it hard to put together a clean, fast lap.”
“This track demands confidence and full commitment. Right now, with this setup, I’m not quite there. We’ve got work to do to get the car where it needs to be.”
And what did he think of Tsunoda’s first outing?
“He had a solid start in FP1. FP2 was chaotic for everyone, but for a first day, I think he handled it really well.”
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Tsunoda Impresses Early as Verstappen Struggles in Suzuka
Tsunoda Impresses Early as Verstappen Struggles in Suzuka