Yuki Tsunoda knows he must rely on his own skills, as he doesn’t expect Max Verstappen to reveal Red Bull’s secrets.
Tsunoda knows that when it comes to mastering the RB21, he will need to rely mostly on his own skills, not advice from Max Verstappen.
Tsunoda, making his debut with Red Bull at his home race in Japan this weekend, has a big challenge ahead. The young driver is stepping into the spotlight following Liam Lawson’s struggles with the RB21 in Australia and China.
When asked whether he had turned to Verstappen for advice on driving the car or analyzed his data, Tsunoda replied, “Not really, to be honest.”
“Even if I tapped him on the shoulder and asked him about the car, I don’t think he would tell me the truth,” Tsunoda added with a smile. “I’ll figure it out myself by looking at the data, seeing how he drives, and even from onboard footage. I’ve already watched several videos of him from the last two races to see how he drives.”
Tsunoda Prepares for Suzuka: Confident but Ready for Challenge
Since learning of his promotion, Tsunoda has done multiple simulator sessions to familiarize himself with the car’s quirks before heading to Suzuka. But he knows nothing beats the real track experience.
“I haven’t felt the real challenges of the car yet. I’ll experience them myself, and I’m sure it will also depend on my driving style. The car will behave a bit differently, but once I get comfortable with it, with my five years of experience, I think I can offer suggestions to improve things.”
“If I’m really struggling… No, I still don’t think I’d ask Verstappen. I’ll work with my engineers. They’ve been really helpful so far, and they’ve already pointed out aspects of the car that are affecting driver confidence.”
“The information is clear in my mind now, and I just have to see how things go after FP1.”
“I’ll take it step by step to improve my pace. But we’ll see, maybe I won’t need to do that, maybe the car will be fast right away. Red Bull has had great results here in recent years, with both cars, so I’m looking forward to it.”
Gasly and Perez Back Tsunoda
Tsunoda also expressed his gratitude towards Pierre Gasly and Sergio Perez for their support ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix. Both have shared valuable advice on their experiences with Red Bull Racing.
“I got a message from Pierre asking me to call him about his experience at Red Bull. He wanted to share some ideas that might work for the upcoming races. It was really nice of him. His advice has been very helpful.”
“I also received messages from Checo. All the Red Bull family drivers have sent me very encouraging messages. These two have been really supportive. I respect them a lot, and I’m very happy for that.”
Pierre Gasly, speaking alongside Tsunoda at the press conference, confirmed, “We’ve talked on the phone. Obviously, the way I was offered this opportunity also allowed me to discuss what went wrong and what could have been different.”
“I think he has the experience and speed. I’ve always supported him. I’ve raced against and with him for two years. I’ve seen his raw speed. I already knew what he was capable of back then. He’s incredibly fast.”
“Yuki has a strong character. Does that mean he will succeed at Red Bull Racing? Not necessarily. Can he succeed at Red Bull Racing? Yes. But it’s a bit more complicated.”
“I wish him all the best. I’ve shared my thoughts and experience from my time at Red Bull. Time will tell. I think he’s really a strong driver.”
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Tsunoda Ready to Tackle RB21, But Verstappen’s Help? No Chance Tsunoda Ready to Tackle RB21, But Verstappen’s Help? No Chance
