Yuki Tsunoda believes he has made a significant breakthrough with his Red Bull F1 car, even after failing to reach Q3 at the Dutch Grand Prix.
Why it matters
Tsunoda's ongoing struggle to consistently make Q3, especially when compared to teammate Max Verstappen, highlights the pressure on him. Yet, his reported newfound control could be a vital turning point for his future performance.
The details
- Tsunoda qualified 12th at Zandvoort, missing Q3 for the eighth time as a Red Bull driver.
- Despite the result, he felt "more in control" of his RB21 than ever before.
- He was 0.500s slower than Max Verstappen in Q2, with both drivers on equal car specification.
- Tsunoda expressed surprise at the gap, stating he made no mistakes and felt confident with his progress throughout the weekend, but the lap time "didn't really stack up with the feeling I had in the car."
What's next
Tsunoda plans to analyze the laptop and data to understand the discrepancy between his feeling and the actual lap time. Proving this "breakthrough" in race conditions will be crucial for his standing within the team.