Tsunoda Shines in Japan: Top 10 Streak Continues

Yuki Tsunoda impresses at the Japanese GP, securing a top 10 spot for the third consecutive time, showcasing remarkable early season form.

Yuki Tsunoda has continued to impress early in the 2024 season. The RB F1 driver made it into Q3 in front of his home crowd during the Japanese GP qualifiers, marking the third consecutive time he has secured a top 10 spot on the grid.

“Feeling a bit of pressure coming into this weekend after our strong performance in Australia, I’d say it’s the right kind of pressure, and I’m very happy to have made it into Q3 in front of my family, friends, and fans,” Tsunoda stated.

“The qualifying session itself wasn’t as smooth as we had hoped, but overall, as a team, we’ve done a fantastic job. I’m still learning how to optimize the car and its settings to get the most out of it.”

“Without the support from everyone, engineers and mechanics, both on the track and back at the factory, I wouldn’t have achieved this result, and I’m very grateful to them. Daniel also did an excellent job.”

“This means there’s definitely potential for scoring points, maybe even more than one, so we’ll do our best. The first step has been taken, the next is the top 10 in the race tomorrow, something I’ve yet to achieve here, but we’re going to do everything we can to try and have a perfect race!”

“Mixed emotions” for Ricciardo

Daniel Ricciardo has been outperformed by Tsunoda again, but the Australian driver has improved and missed Q3 by less than a tenth. This leaves him with a sense of disappointment, despite the progress.

“Today, I’m feeling mixed emotions. There’s a bit of frustration, but it’s also encouraging to be so close to Q3 after a challenging start to the year,” said the Australian driver.

“Considering I only did a few laps in wet conditions yesterday, today’s qualifying was a good session as we were very close to making it into the top 10. I did a few laps this morning in FP3 and then worked hard to find those extra tenths for qualifying.”

“I’m glad we’re almost there, but it’s not Q3. It’s frustrating to be knocked out by just half a tenth, as it would have been great to win for the guys today.”

“After yesterday, we definitely see some positive points that are encouraging. For tomorrow, the race pace is good, and I’ll be starting from the right side of the grid. I really think points are possible, so I’ll try to be in the top 10 on the first and the 53rd lap.”