Tsunoda - Lawson Eye Points in Brazil Sprint Showdown

After a tough Mexico race, RB F1 drivers Tsunoda and Lawson are targeting a strong rebound at Interlagos, Brazil’s historic track.

Yuki Tsunoda had a very disappointing weekend in Mexico, and the RB F1 driver naturally hopes to bounce back in Brazil this weekend. He praises the progress of the VCARB 01 and the opportunities it opens up.

“The positive takeaway from Mexico is that recent changes to the car have allowed us to make a good step forward in performance, and I want to turn that into a clean weekend with points in Brazil,” Tsunoda said.

“Interlagos is a lot of fun, counterclockwise, tight, and twisty with ups and downs, like the descent to the Senna Esses, and the short lap keeps you busy, as even the main straight is essentially a long curve. The track has been completely resurfaced, and we only have an hour of free practice to get to grips with it, as it’s another sprint weekend.”

“So, like in Austin, I think Saturday’s race will be the best opportunity to check our long-term pace for the Grand Prix. Looking at the weather forecast, there’s a chance rain might make things even more interesting at some point!”

Liam Lawson was also disappointed with his weekend in Mexico and is eager to rebound, looking forward to discovering Interlagos: “Last weekend wasn’t what we wanted, but I hope we can bring the pace we had in Mexico and turn it into points this weekend.”

“It’s a Sprint weekend, so we’ll be doing a lot of racing. It’s also the end of the triple-header, so it’ll be a tough weekend. Brazil is a track with a lot of history, and it’s one I’ve wanted to drive for a long time, so I’m excited to finally do so.”

Alan Permane, RB F1’s Sporting Director, notes that the weekend promises to be challenging, with the Sprint format and anticipated rain: “For the final race of the current triple-header, we’re racing at Interlagos in São Paulo, Brazil. It’s an old-school track, highly regarded by drivers.”

“It features a mix of high- and low-speed tight corners, wide curbs to navigate, and significant elevation changes. The long start/finish straight will require a lower downforce level than in the last two races, with overtaking opportunities in Turns 1 and 4.”

“It’s another Sprint weekend, and with only an hour of practice before Friday afternoon’s Sprint qualifying, pressure is on the engineers to deliver an almost perfect initial setup and on the drivers to maximize everything possible.”

“A competitive car will need to be stable on the brakes, have strong front-end grip for the long, low-speed corners, and also good traction. High-speed performance is crucial for the fast Turn 4 and the combination of Turns 6 and 7. Weather is often a factor at Interlagos, and we could see rain on Sunday.”