Yuki Tsunoda didn’t expect to score points in difficult F1 British GP, as Daniel Ricciardo joked to have a hole due to lack of performance.
Visa Cash App RB were forced to run a hybrid car in F1 British GP where they used the best bits of the latest updates with its old spec car. However, it didn’t bring much performance during the weekend especially against Haas and Aston Martin.
In fact, the Williams looked to be slightly better too. But Tsunoda managed to eke out a point result in mixed conditions and utilising sound strategy. He was passed by Williams’ Alexander Albon late in the race, but hung on to 10th.
He didn’t expect a point at all at the onset of the weekend and to score a point in the end was more than welcomed by him. “Definitely happy, especially we didn’t expect to score points this week based on free practices,” said Tsunoda to media. “I mean even we saw last second half, last things with the battle between Williams, they’re so quick in general.
“The main positive with this race was able to maintain or close the gap with the to the cars in front of faster cars and it made enough gap to score points in the second half in dry conditions. Normally I didn’t really appreciate the rain conditions this season so far but after this race I definitely appreciate it.
“It was difficult to take the correct calls. Obviously more towards the communication is very important with engineers, how much rain we’re expecting for the coming time and it’s almost sometimes luck and I think Stroll and other cars behind got a bit of luck. This is something to learn for the future.
“At the same time I still had a good pace in the rain condition with the dry tyre. And that was the main positive. So as myself, I’m very happy,” summed up Tsunoda, who elaborated on the changes they made during the weekend with regards to downforce.
“The aero efficiency is the main topic and still also losing the straight,” said Tsunoda. “And yeah, I mean, I got surprised how much difference between in the Turn 15, for example, where almost that corner is mostly downforce is very important. It’s obviously good to score points, but at the same time, it shows how much difference in the corners, especially we were always behind a car all the time and not too much overheating the tyres.
“There are a lot of things to work on for the future, but at the same time, these three tracks were pretty high-speed tracks, and we’re going to the slow-speed tracks which are in Hungary, so hopefully we can use our strengths back in the fighting Top 10,” summed up Tsunoda, whose teammate Ricciardo had a rather difficult outing in all.
Post-race, he joked about wanting to have a hole in his car which would explain the lack of performance. During the course of the race, the Australian couldn’t ascertain why they lacked pace, even though he thought he did all on the given lap.
“Compromise is a polite way of saying it,” started Ricciardo. “Hopefully there’s a big hole in my car that I haven’t yet seen and that is the reason why we’re really slow (laughs). But yeah, we honestly just, as a team for sure, we struggle here. Like looking at the Williams at the end on that stint and Sargeant pulled away from me and I believe Albon came and passed to Tsunoda.
“So yes, Yuki got a point, he did well but I think as a team we weren’t very competitive this weekend. I certainly struggled more in the race. I’m still not completely sure why you know there was moments my engineer was telling me, I think I was about eight tenths off and I was quite surprised to hear that.
“Because I felt like I just crossed the line and did a good lap. So yeah a little bit probably lost in terms of where that pace lies. I felt like definitely moments where there was mixed conditions there was a few laps where I was yeah, I didn’t put in maybe the best handful of laps in those mixed conditions.
“But then let’s say fast-forwarding to the end or even the start where it was dry. Yeah, struggled for, for sure, grip and balance, but I think these circuits have exposed us a little bit and the other teams have made some good updates and that’s also reality. And why I struggled more than, I would say for the most part, more than Yuki, yeah, try and have a look.
“But as always, I make notes during the race and share them with the team now and try to try to understand why I felt what I felt,” summed up Ricciardo, who explained what he meant by load on the radio. “So I remember on kind of a little bit where I was struggling with the lap time, trying to find it, I think my engineer asked me what am I missing? What do I need? And I felt like yeah, I was saying like the balance and stuff was actually okay just for like, we’re just lacking load?
“So that’s why when I heard the lap times of the others, I was quite confused ’cause I said I did the lap and the lap felt pretty clean, a few little things, but felt decent. Like I was close to the potential of the car and that’s when I was like I don’t really have an answer right now where this lap time is.
“Watching the other cars in front, I felt the high speed they were really able to pull away a little bit more, probably my explanation of having all of lacking a bit of load. So yeah, obviously downforce is king. But I think there’s still things we missed today or my assumption is we missed some things just with our car and optimising it.
“So yeah we have to looking forward make everything better. But right now with what we have try to probably still with set up. There’s maybe a couple things myself and the team up maybe not quite grasping. So keep at it,” summed up Ricciardo.
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