Tsunoda Finds Silver Lining in Hungary: Closer to Verstappen Despite Q1 Exit
Yuki Tsunoda was eliminated in Q1 for the fourth time in eight rounds at the Hungaroring, relegating him to P16 for the Hungarian Grand Prix. However, the Japanese driver is taking a positive from the weekend, highlighting his improved pace relative to team-mate Max Verstappen.
Why it matters:
Despite another early qualifying exit, Tsunoda's assertion of being consistently closer to, and at times even ahead of, Max Verstappen in practice sessions and qualifying shows a potential step forward in his performance. This comes amidst Red Bull's broader struggles to find pace in Hungary, which saw both cars underperform.
The Details:
- Q1 Elimination: Tsunoda will start P16 after failing to advance past the first qualifying segment.
- Improved Pace: Throughout the Hungarian GP weekend, Tsunoda has demonstrated a closer performance gap to Verstappen, occasionally being quicker in certain sessions.
- Red Bull's Struggles: The Milton Keynes squad has struggled with grip and overall car balance, preventing their usual Friday night turnaround and resulting in disappointing grid positions for both drivers. Verstappen himself barely made it out of Q1 in P13, only 0.163 seconds quicker than Tsunoda.
What Tsunoda Said:
When asked about his car's difficulty, Tsunoda acknowledged a lack of grip but quickly shifted focus to the positives:
"The car balance itself is not that bad, but just the grip level that the car is providing is very, very low. It's not the level that we normally feel," Tsunoda explained. "Throughout the week, I think there was a positive from our side of the garage that we are consistently closer to Max. Some sessions, we were ahead."
He added that while Q1 elimination was frustrating, being so close to Verstappen, who also struggled significantly, was something to be "proud" of.
What's next:
Starting from P16 on a circuit where overtaking is notoriously difficult will present a significant challenge for Tsunoda. However, his increased confidence in matching Verstappen's pace, even if it's due to a generally struggling car, could be a psychological boost for the remainder of the season.