Red Bull Finds Positives in Tsunoda's Challenging Singapore GP

Despite a difficult Singapore Grand Prix weekend for Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull's Laurent Mekies managed to identify several positive aspects, emphasizing the team's commitment to working with the Japanese driver for collective improvement. While Max Verstappen continued his podium streak, Tsunoda struggled, failing to score points after a Q2 exit.

Why it matters:

Yuki Tsunoda's development is crucial for Red Bull's long-term driver strategy. Even in a challenging weekend, extracting positives and identifying areas for improvement demonstrates a focused approach to nurturing talent, essential for a team that consistently brings drivers through its junior program. His performance impacts the team's overall constructors' championship standing, where Red Bull is fighting to maintain its position.

The Details:

• Initial Assessment: Mekies noted that Tsunoda's Friday performance, though not 'spectacular' on paper, showed consistency and the 'right level' when analyzing individual laps.
• Saturday's Struggles: Saturday was deemed 'poor,' with the team needing to understand what 'derailed' Tsunoda's qualifying efforts, leading to his Q2 elimination.
• Race Recovery: Despite a 'shocking' first lap, Tsunoda demonstrated a 'very decent pace' in the race, recovering from P18 to P12.
• Costly Weekend: The poor Saturday ultimately cost the team valuable points, highlighting the importance of consistent performance across the entire weekend.
• Tsunoda's Explanation: Tsunoda attributed his dismal first lap to being 'covered or blocked by someone' at every turn, preventing him from finding space and resulting in 'the worst start ever.'

The Big Picture:

Red Bull currently holds fourth place in the constructors' standings. While McLaren has secured its second consecutive title, the battle for second place is tight. Mercedes leads Ferrari by 27 points and Red Bull by 35 points, indicating that every point, even from a struggling driver, is vital for team standings.

What's next:

The focus for Red Bull and Tsunoda will be on analyzing the Singapore weekend to pinpoint specific areas for improvement, particularly regarding qualifying consistency and race starts. The team aims to leverage Tsunoda's evident race pace from Sunday and combine it with stronger Saturday performances to secure more consistent points finishes in the upcoming races.