Without any pre-season testing in the RB21, Yuki Tsunoda is essentially heading into this weekend’s Japanese GP blind. He only has three hours to familiarise himself with a Red Bull that is developing a notorious reputation for its handling.
Tsunoda acknowledges the challenge he faces, and that simulator work is no substitute for track time.
Still, the 24-year-old explains that his first indications of the RB21 are not as negative as some might have feared.
Yuki Tsunoda optimistic about adapting at Red Bull
With more than four seasons of experience in Formula 1, Tsunoda has extensive running in various ground-effect cars.
Although the consensus in F1 is that he deserved a promotion sooner, the last few seasons have provided a opportunity to prepare himself for the uniquely challenging RB21 machine.
It was last December that Tsunoda first completed mileage in the RB20, last year’s Red Bull challenger.
He was relatively positive after his post-season test in the RB20, arguing that its characteristics were suited to his driving style.
Of course, Max Verstappen is capable of extracting performance from cars that his teammates struggle to tame.
The question is whether Tsunoda has the speed and technical prowess to understand what the RB21 demands from a driver.
Speaking as an official Red Bull driver in Japan, he’s been transparent about his outlook:
“The difference is last year’s car, [the RB20] I drove on the real track,” he told The Race.
“But this time it was the simulator, and the simulator is always quite easy to handle the car more comfortably.
“You don’t really need confidence, right? It’s kind of virtual – a bit of a difference there.
“But I was expecting a lot more trickiness [with the RB21], because of how Liam struggled.
“I’m sure it’s going to be very challenging, its a lot different a car to the Racing Bulls.
“I just need to take it easy, just feel the car, but still definitely it will be challenging.”
Red Bull will hope to change the narrative
For at least two seasons, Max Verstappen has secured the vast majority of points for Red Bull.
Even putting aside Perez’s ultimately detrimental campaign last year, the Mexican driver was already significantly behind Verstappen in 2023.
It was only Red Bull’s advantage over the other top teams that disguised Perez’s troubles – which were badly exposed twelve months ago.
Regardless, Lawson’s nightmare start to the season has only reinforced the idea that Milton Keynes have developed cars with severe limitations that only Verstappen can handle.
Because of this, there is additional incentive for Christian Horner’s trackside team to assist Tsunoda in any way possible.
Should Tsunoda fail to compete with the other front-runners, the evidence against the RB21 – and Red Bull’s development more broadly – will be damming.
Having fought consistently fought for the top 10 at the Australian and Chinese GP (with VCARB) the #22 driver is undoubtedly capable of competing at the sharp end.
This puts all the pressure on Red Bull to prove that Verstappen’s brilliance is not their only solution to the RB21’s deficiencies.
Tsunoda is confident and in fine form, with his experience putting him in a better position than any other Red Bull junior to acclimatise at the main team.
Now is perhaps the last chance Christian Horner’s team will have before 2026 to demonstrate they can have two cars battling with Ferrari, Mercedes and McLaren.
