Red Bull arrives in Bahrain after winning in Japan. But the team needs reassurance and improvements for the upcoming races.
Verstappen and Tsunoda Want to Maximise Their Performances, While the Team Welcomes Ayumu Iwasa
Red Bull lands in Bahrain following an unexpected result in Suzuka, where Max Verstappen dominated the race. The Dutchman closed ahead of the McLaren duo Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. And now, he is only one point behind Norris in the standings.
The desert’s calling 🏜️
You know what week it is 🇧🇭
🎨 @chuangraphics #F1 || #BahrainGP 🇧🇭 pic.twitter.com/hmEzR9Vlhc
— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) April 11, 2025
But now the focus is on the race in Bahrain. Historically, RB has achieved success here. However, the pre-season test in Sakhir showed some problems for the car.
Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda believe they know where to improve. The duo has clear goals for the challenge ahead.
“The track is very technical and of course it is in night race conditions, which is a bit different. It will be hot and I think it will be a difficult race for us.
“There are some things to improve on the car, still. We’re till working on tyre management and we lack a it of rhythm, so we need to work hard and push to the limit. However, i like there and i can’t wait to see what expect us this weekend. I hope we can maximise the performance.”
Yuki Tsunoda Is Hungry for Points
Tsunoda debuted in Red Bull last weekend, but things did not go as expected. While Verstappen is familiar with the car, the RB21 was challenging for the Japanese driver. He closed the weekend in Suzuka without points, in p12.
Tsunoda has since confirmed that he knows where he needs to work and get better. He is set to put this into practice in Bahrain.
Even Helmut Mario confirmed that Tsunoda had some problems in undertaking the car. Overall, he is satisfied with Tsunoda’s race in Japan. It is understood that the Red Bull driver fared better than what was expected from Perez and Liam Lawson.
Speaking to the press, Tsunoda said:
“I’ve learned a lot during the weekend in Suzuka, now I understand the RB21 better and also the way the team operates. Now it is up to me how to get the best out of this car.
“Bahrain is a track that we know well and the conditions are completely different from Japan, so I need to be sure to do well in Qualifying. I think that if I understand better how to manage the tyres, I could put the car in a better position for race day. I hope to get points and to perform the way I know we’re able to.”
READ MORE: Yuki Tsunoda Reveals Red Bull and Vcarb Set-up Differences
A New Rookie in Red Bull
Red Bull confirmed they will field a rookie for the FP1 session on Friday in Bahrain.
Ayumu Iwasa will be behind the wheel of the RB21 in Sakhir, temporarily replacing Max Verstappen.
For the first hour of the race week, Iwasa and Tsunoda will be teammates.
The rookie will not be the only one to debut this weekend. According to the rules, the teams must utilise four reserve Free Practice sessions for their rookies during the season.
Frederick Vesti will test for Mercedes, while Dino Beganovic will be in for Ferrari. Luke Browning will replace Carlos Sainz in Williams, and Ryo Hirakawa will drive the Haas of Oliver Bearman. Aston Martin opted for Felipe Drugovich.
A busy hour of learning 📝
FP1 ends with Yuki in P9, and Ayumu wrapping up his first session in P19 🫶#F1 || #BahrainGP 🇧🇭 pic.twitter.com/EYds71wdeH
— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) April 11, 2025
While temperature issues dampened FP1, Iwasa finished P19, and Tsunoda ended P9.
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The Weekend Ahead
A clearer indication of how Red Bull may perform this weekend will come during FP2, which occurs in the evening.
As Bahrain is a night race, teams set up their cars for cooler temperatures. This is harder to replicate in the daytime practice sessions.
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Main Photo
Credit: IMAGO / PsnewZ
Recording Date: 11.04.2025
