Yuki Tsunoda says he has support from Red Bull despite the challenges he has faced, as he notes that it takes time to be adjusted to their current F1 car.
After the two-race experiment with Liam Lawson, Red Bull drafted Tsunoda from Visa Cash App RB earlier in 2025 F1 season. Things looked a touch better for the Japanese driver, but it was never easy. The shunt in Imola set the spiral that others have faced in the second seat.
He fell behind on updates and races like Barcelona and Austria didn’t help his case. He highlighted the narrow window of performance in the Red Bull car, which was difficult to catch. This along with some last minute surprises held Tsunoda back and hurt his confidence.
Despite the troubles, Tsunoda is likely to retain his Red Bull seat until the end of the current season, considering that they don’t have ready replacements. He noted about support from Helmut Marko and even Christian Horner, who has since left the team. But he will have Laurent Mekies at his side.
The Frenchman spoke good of Tsunoda when at Visa Cash App RB. “Definitely, yeah, I mean, I feel definitely the support, especially these days and more than ever, from Christian, Helmut,” he said. “I went to the south of UK with a physio Red Bull Racing to kind of reset myself, and that was coming from them. They just wanted to have fresh air and everything.
“So that helps a lot to me to build up my rhythm. Also, they allowed me to try a couple of things that I never tried, and they allow me to do quite a lot of things that probably they wouldn’t do in a normal case. So, yeah, definitely. [So it is good, I would] rather [have this] than him (Marko) saying probably going switch in two races or whatever, for sure.
“But like I said, him and Christian are very supportive. He’s still willing to continuously help or support me. He still trusts my talent and the speed, so I just have to prove on track that I can do it. Helmut is just a direct guy. Some races if you do bad, he just tells me what was wrong and what was right. It’s a kind of pressure that he gives me.
“Sometimes brings me into the level that I never think about or extracts from me some performance. It’s just the way that he works since when I was a junior, and yeah, I appreciate the amount of support I’m getting so far,” summed up Tsunoda, who highlighted that none of the drivers before him, managed to get hold of the Red Bull car that easily. Everyone needed time, where some got and some didn’t.
“I mean, I don’t know, it depends on the driver, but also at the same time, I didn’t see yet so far the driver who probably got used to it in that car straight away,” continued Tsunoda. “So that’s probably the fact, but at the same time, I feel I’m in the right direction, at least on the short runs. Also in terms of the whole package, I know there’s something to come as well into this year compared to Max.
“So once I get full package, I still have good confidence that I can be in a level that they want. That’s what I’m working hard on. In terms of the long run is exactly the place that I’m still probably struggling at, but I’ll find a way. I saw a couple of driving styles that I can try that I never tried in my career in Formula 1. It’s just the learning stuff.
“It is true that in terms of confidence, when the condition changes every session, maybe I’m taking a little bit more time compared to where I used to have at VCARB where for example, I knew exactly how the car was going to drive in each set-up, I can go flat out from the first push. But maybe in the Red Bull, I had to build up, which for me is the right approach.
“I don’t think it’s a wrong approach, but just takes a bit of time. I don’t know if it’s going to take a whole season or not, but at least it’s positive that I’m going in the right direction,” summed up Tsunoda, who just has three points finishes with Red Bull from the 10 entered.
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