Yuki Tsunoda, Racing Bulls driver, has expressed his satisfaction with his performance during the Dutch Grand Prix. Regarding his adaptation to the new Formula 1 cars for the 2026 season, Tsunoda states that the team is «very impressed» with his evolution.
The Japanese had the opportunity to replace Liam Lawson, who was called to Red Bull after Isack Hadjar’s injury during the summer. In a tricky sprint weekend in Zandvoort, Tsunoda has been improving in each session, getting closer to his rookie teammate, Arvid Lindblad.
In what was his first practice session, Tsunoda was 0.825 seconds off Lindblad. However, his time progressively improved, reducing the gap to 0.360 seconds in SQ2 and only 0.102 seconds in Q2. In the sprint race, he crossed the finish line 11.5 seconds behind.
“I am very happy,” Tsunoda commented. “I had a lot of fun in qualifying. Although in the first session I didn’t yet know the limits of the car, in this qualifying I was able to trust more and get the most out of the vehicle.”
With the arrival of the new cars, energy management and aerodynamics have become more complex. Tsunoda acknowledges that differences in brake feel and aerodynamic load have been significant. “It’s a completely different car,” he said. “I had to adapt quickly to the new conditions, but I am satisfied with my progress.”
Moreover, the experience gained during the sprint race was very valuable for Tsunoda, who was able to improve his starting procedure and learn on every lap. Even though he was just one-tenth away from making it to Q3, the driver felt that the team was pleased with his performance: “Surely, it would have been better to reach Q3, but the team expressed that they were impressed with my performance during each session.”
Meanwhile, it remains to be seen how the team’s reception will be after this series of quick improvements. “I still haven’t talked to the team, so I don’t know if they are upset or not,” Tsunoda concluded with a smile.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
