Tsunoda predicts 'spicy' Monza qualifying after strong Friday practice

Yuki Tsunoda followed up his strong Zandvoort weekend with another solid Friday at Monza, finishing 10th in FP2 and just a tenth behind teammate Arvid Lindblad. That came despite his warning that Monza is 'energy-starved' in 2026.

Why it matters:

Tsunoda is two races into his Racing Bulls stint, and Monza was expected to expose him. The 2026 regulations replaced DRS with active aerodynamics and Straight Mode zones, and Monza has four of them. Getting those activations right while managing energy is critical, so a competitive Friday shows he is adapting fast.

The details:

• Tsunoda was 10th in FP2, just behind Max Verstappen and 0.1s off Lindblad.
• FP1 was messier; he kept forgetting to use SM on the run to Parabolica.
• "I was like, oh, why am I losing so much lap time? Oh, well, actually, I'm not using SM," he said.
• In FP2, he used SM in all permitted zones and said it "came a bit more together."
• He called the VCARB 03 "less peaky" than the Red Bull he drove in 2025.

Between the lines:

Tsunoda's quick adaptation says as much about the Racing Bulls car as his driving. The VCARB 03 is well-balanced and forgiving, unlike last year's Red Bull.

What's next:

Tsunoda expects qualifying to be chaotic, with slipstreams crucial at Monza. "It's going to be spicy," he predicted, expecting tow games throughout qualifying. With energy management and SM zones in play, Saturday could shake up the order.