Max Verstappen put together a sensational lap to claim Pole Position in Suzuka. On the opposite side of the Red Bull garage, Yuki Tsunoda was knocked out in Q2 after a promising start to qualifying.
For obvious reasons, the irony of Tsunoda finishing behind Lawson is grabbing plenty of attention post-session.
However, team principal Christian Horner has come to the defence of his latest signing.
Horner: Yuki Tsunoda was fast enough for the top 10
The beginning of qualifying started very well for Tsunoda, who put himself comfortably in Q2 with his banker lap.
With gaps across the field so close, the 24-year-old was capable of making a push for the top 10.
However, a mistake in his final Q2 run effectively put an end to his session.
This error undid a lot of Tsunoda’s progress throughout the weekend, where he showed legitimately impressive pace.
With Verstappen on Pole Position, his important to Red Bull’s success has been once again underlined.
The Dutchman has an unmatched ability to extract every thousandth from the car, something arguably nobody else in F1 can replicate.
Because of this, Tsunoda can be forgiven for failing to replicate his teammate’s efforts.
At the same time, the 24-year-old needs more than P15 finishes to cement his place at Red Bull.
Then again, his pace across the weekend indicates he can fight near the front in 2025.
Christian Horner believes that Tsunoda’s overall performance in Japan is very encouraging:
“This morning they both ran a bit more downforce, and Yuki found it was a bit more to his liking.
“And certainly in Q1 he was looking competitive. He was within a tenth of Max and just one place behind.
“Then in Q2 he hasn’t actually improved, and in that last run, I think he was possibly too quick into turn one.
“He had a big moment at turn 2, and then you’re never going to recover it from there.
“So it’s a shame, because I think he would have comfortably made the top 10 today.
“But he can still race well from there tomorrow.”
A chance to recover on Sunday
Most forecasts indicate there will be rain on Sunday, which represents a double-edged sword for Tsunoda.
On one hand, with such limited time in the RB21, a wet race could massively complicate matters.
The margin for error is minimal even in dry conditions at Suzuka – let alone in a race where intermediates could be the starting tyre.
Of course, his decision to opt for a higher downforce set-up could offer a boost on Sunday.
A wet race also provides more opportunity for the 24-year-old to climb the grid – provided he can stay out of trouble.
Tomorrow remains an opportunity for Red Bull to secure a double-points finish and start changing the narrative.
With Verstappen and Tsunoda both taking strides to make the RB21 more drivable, the Milton Keynes team could establish a stronger foundation to build upon.
As this crucial triple-header begins, Christian Horner’s squad has a chance to rectify their turbulent start.
