Tsunoda ‘not enjoying’ Red Bull pressure but embracing opportunity

Yuki Tsunoda has opened up about the weight of expectation he’s currently feeling as he tries to find his footing at Red Bull Racing, admitting he’s under “a lot of pressure” amid a tough run of results in Formula 1.

After joining the top-tier Red Bull squad in a surprise early-season swap with Liam Lawson, Tsunoda has yet to deliver the kind of results that would cement his future with the front-running outfit.

Last weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix – which also marked his 100th Formula 1 start – ended with a lowly 12th-place finish for the Japanese driver, his third consecutive race without scoring points.

Under pressure and Sometimes Not Enjoying It

Tsunoda didn’t shy away from the mental toll of the current situation, candidly reflecting on the weekend’s frustrations, particularly a severe 10-place grid penalty he received for a red flag infringement – a setback that left him starting at the back of the field.

“[Saturday] was a tough day with the 10-place nonsense penalty. [I] lost a lot of time in FP3, especially with the new upgrades when you want to especially learn about the car,” he said after the race, quoted by Crash.net.

Despite the difficulties, Tsunoda made clear that he understands pressure comes hand-in-hand with racing at the sharp end of the grid — and he’s trying to view the situation as a growth opportunity.

“Still with our team, you want to be as high as possible, but I enjoy this challenge I guess. [In] these moments I’m having a lot of pressure, sometimes I’m not enjoying them that much but it’s part of the time that [is] an opportunity to improve myself and prove myself more.”

Taking the Positives, Looking Ahead

Although he missed out on points once again, Tsunoda saw some encouraging signs in Montreal — particularly in terms of car performance – even if he admitted that P12 was likely the limit given the penalty and circumstances.

“Yeah, pretty much, that’s it,” Tsunoda said when asked if 12th was the best he could manage. “The pace was okay, not amazing but still not too bad. Other than that, pretty much that’s it really.

“At least a positive is the car performance now, and the pace in the car felt a bit more normal or better than last previous races, so at least there’s a bit of motivation there.”

• Read also: Tsunoda slams stewards’ decision after massive red flag penalty

That small lift may be crucial as Tsunoda faces increasing speculation over his future at Red Bull. While the team has reiterated its support – with team principal Christian Horner recently stating that Tsunoda would be given “time and support” to rebuild confidence – the competition for seats in the Red Bull stable remains fierce.

With rising rookie Isack Hadjar impressing at Racing Bulls and Liam Lawson still hovering in the wings, Tsunoda’s run of results has not gone unnoticed in the paddock.

Still, the Japanese driver remains in the cockpit, for now, and he knows the spotlight that comes with the Red Bull seat is both a privilege and a pressure cooker. What remains to be seen is whether Tsunoda can flip that pressure into performance before time runs out.

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via X and Facebook