Yuki Tsunoda says Visa Cash App RB deserved the points in F1 Monaco GP, as Daniel Ricciardo rues missed chances.
It was yet another points finish for Tsunoda and Visa Cash App RB in F1 Monaco GP after a solid run all-weekend from the Japanese driver. In a situation where the Top 5 teams have accumulated the points places, he has outshone to be 10th in the standings too.
Tsunoda has made the most of others faltering and doing the best with the car he has at his disposal. Last year, he did miss out on crucial points but this year, he has capitalised on them and notes how they deserved eighth place in F1 Monaco GP.
It wasn’t the usual drive, he had to not only defend his place but also drive at a pace where he can easily get frustrated. He hung on well. “It’s good that we scored points again,” said Tsunoda. “I think we deserved these points. It was kind of fine-tuning, a bit of balance between me and my strategy.
“Obviously myself I wanted to push, but as a strategy we didn’t want to. I kind of tried to be calm as much as possible. I was a little frustrated, but I kept my cool and managed the pace. I think we maximised it; we were managing tyres and pace well, making sure that we were prepared for any situation.
“In the end, the last couple of laps I enjoyed it and it’s my first points in Monaco, so definitely a happy day. It’s very important that we keep scoring points, and I think also the team allows me to bring the confidence straight away in FP1 and having a good pace already from maybe practice one.
“I think those kind of things will obviously help me to be confident and focused on what I have to do. I think just every race we are super consistent, that’s what we all want and we just keep pushing at what we’re doing,” summed up Tsunoda, who may not get the Red Bull drive, but doing all to retain his current seat or get one elsewhere.
His teammate Ricciardo did not enjoy as much as he was stuck behind Aston Martin for entirety of the grand prix and in close proximity as well. He recalled losing out places during the start where he could have capitalised and got himself ahead. And since it didn’t happen, the result was inevitable.
“It’s hard – if you don’t qualify in the points it’s definitely hard to make it happen,” said Ricciardo. “I think the first start, it was one of our few very good starts this year, but actually it kind of put me in a position I didn’t really want to be. I had quite a lot of momentum, and there was a little bit of space I think behind Gasly and I went a bit to the left, and obviously it narrows in at Turn 1 so I had to come out of it, then that allowed Stroll to carry more momentum on the inside, so he got me on the first one.
“Then the second one, from memory he just came across, protected the inside as there was Ocon not there, so his start was a little bit better, he came across and then I think that allowed Alonso some room on the outside. I looked at both Astons for really the whole race, but that’s no surprise, that’s how it is around here. I had two laps the whole race in clear air where I could push a little bit – they were enjoyable.
“The rest… there was a few with Alonso trying to create something so that was a little bit of fun, but not 70-something laps, that was a little bit painful. Not the Monaco I wanted for sure, but going to pick myself up and get back on it. Montreal’s a good track, I enjoy it, so [I’ll] try and get this thing going a little better than it has.
“I think there’s a lot of positives with Yuki scoring, but there’s also personal frustration and disappointment, because it obviously can be done and Yuki’s got points the last few races. I think that’s where I’m just going to pick myself up and find what it is that I’m not quite showing consistently. I feel like, when I do show it, it’s obviously there. But, yeah, obviously [it] has to come every weekend, otherwise that’s no good.”
Here’s how F1 Monaco GP panned out
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