Tsunoda mixed on Red Bull debut, top brass pleased

Red Bull’s top brass believes that Yuki Tsunoda delivered a respectable performance in his first race with the senior outfit, but the Japanese driver had mixed feelings about his home weekend in Suzuka.

Ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix, the 24-year-old was assigned to the seat at Red Bull Racing vacated by Liam Lawson following the latter’s underperformance in the first two races of the 2025 season.

Tsunoda qualified 15th after a mistake in Q2 cost him valuable time, though a grid penalty for Williams’ Carlos Sainz saw him promoted to 14th on the starting grid.

While teammate Max Verstappen started on pole and went on to dominate the race, Tsunoda fought his way to 12th, overtaking two rivals and finishing just behind Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin.

Marko’s Assessment: A Solid Start

Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko offered a measured verdict on Tsunoda’s performance.

“Overtaking here is incredibly difficult. He drove a solid race, but it shows how important qualifying is,” the Austrian told Sky Germany.

In a separate interview with Motorsport, Marko added: “It was good. It was just unlucky that in Qualifying 2 he had this mistake. But otherwise, it was fine. His Time Will Come"

Horner’s Perspective: Room to Grow

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner highlighted Tsunoda’s integration into the RB21 and the team.

“He has dialled himself into the car and team, he should make a step forward over the next few races,” Horner said.

“He made one pass and then we undercut Pierre Gasly. His pace was good, but he was looking at the back of Fernando Alonso’s rear wing for basically that entire second stint.

“Qualifying dictated 90 per cent of those finishing positions today. I think he’s learned a lot out of this weekend. He’s given great feedback. He’s fitted into the team, and his time will come.”

Tsunoda’s Mixed Emotions

Tsunoda himself expressed a blend of satisfaction and disappointment.

“I’m happy with the race, in terms of my performance,” he said. “But obviously, in terms of results, it’s quite tough, especially for my home Grand Prix. I was definitely expecting more, and you know, at least I wanted to finish in a point, so it’s mixed feelings.”

With limited prior time in the RB21, he viewed the race as a learning opportunity.

“The 53, 54 laps I got in this race was the most laps I had in this car. Every lap I was learning, and finally, I got decent laps in the car, and I definitely feel more confidence in the car.

“I just feel overall controlled more towards the end of the race. I’m happy considering the amount of time I had, but because of [it being my] home Grand Prix, I just wanted to finish in the points.

“I just have to build the pace. It’s fortunate that there’s Max that I can learn from. So I just keep doing what I’m doing. I’m excited for Bahrain, actually.”

Despite a modest result, Tsunoda’s debut showcased resilience and potential. With Verstappen setting the benchmark, Tsunoda’s focus remains on building confidence and pace as he prepares for the Bahrain Grand Prix.

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