Tsunoda’s Bold Plan to Challenge Verstappen at Red Bull

Tsunoda reveals his strategy to outpace Verstappen, focusing on mastering the Red Bull RB21 and bridging key performance gaps.

Yuki Tsunoda believes he has what it takes to challenge Max Verstappen within the same car. Despite all his predecessors struggling against the Dutch driver, the former Racing Bulls pilot feels that once he unlocks the right performance window of the Red Bull RB21, he’ll be ready to compete with the four-time world champion.

“This is the first time I’m driving a completely different car,” Tsunoda explained. “I’ve only driven the VCARB for the past four years, so this is my first time in a car from a totally different team.”

Tsunoda is focused on adapting to the new car. He feels that once he understands its nuances, he’ll have the tools to challenge Verstappen. “I know I can’t beat him straight away, so I’m building a strong reference point and waiting for the moment when I can be at my best.”

“I’m just trying to understand how the car works and how it performs. Honestly, I don’t even think I fully grasp half of it yet. These are the key elements I’m working hard to understand as quickly as possible so I can move on to other things.”

So far, Tsunoda has managed to get the car working well in qualifying and races, but admits there are ups and downs. “There are fluctuations between FP1 and FP3, so I want to be more consistent throughout the entire race weekend.”

However, Tsunoda is careful not to overestimate his progress compared to his teammate, acknowledging that he doesn’t yet possess the same adaptability as Verstappen, nor the technical feel to match the Dutchman’s comfort in the car.

“Max can feel things that I can’t, like the tire temperature when leaving the garage. A good example was qualifying when the temperatures kept dropping. From Q1 to Q3, he adjusted. When the temperatures drop, he knows exactly how to warm the tires, how to apply pressure in each corner to improve lap time or optimize exit speed.”

Tsunoda admits he doesn’t yet have the same instinct for these finer details. “I didn’t feel it the same way he did. I haven’t been able to sense what I felt with the VCARB. Maybe it’s because I’m not completely relaxed in the car yet.”

“I’m still in a rush, and I don’t fully control the situation yet. Those little details really matter in this current regulation era, where tire sensitivity and even a tenth of a second or a few milliseconds in each corner make a huge difference.”

Trust also plays a key role, something Tsunoda acknowledges is still a work in progress for him. “I know how Max builds his confidence throughout the week compared to how I build mine,” he said.

“It’s completely different because he already has a huge amount of trust in this car. It’s a different approach, so I’m taking things step by step, focusing on qualifying.”

Finally, Tsunoda reveals that his driving style is more similar to Verstappen’s than he initially thought, which could be an advantage: “So far, the driving style, the braking curve, and how we release the brake, it’s all quite close. I never really thought about comparing our styles, but for now, they’re not too different.”

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Tsunoda’s Bold Plan to Challenge Verstappen at Red Bull Tsunoda’s Bold Plan to Challenge Verstappen at Red Bull