Tsunoda eyes Silverstone turnaround after five-race Q3 drought

Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda is determined to reverse his recent qualifying woes at this weekend’s British Grand Prix, expressing confidence in his ability to secure a strong grid position despite failing to reach Q3 in his last five races.

The 25-year-old Japanese driver, however, also acknowledged ongoing challenges in unlocking the RB21’s race pace, which has hindered his performances on Sundays and left him frustrated.

Tsunoda’s 2025 season has been a mixed bag since he replaced Liam Lawson in the Red Bull seat nine races ago.

With only seven points scored and no top-10 finishes since the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, his struggles were starkly evident at the Austrian Grand Prix.

At the Red Bull Ring, he qualified a disappointing P18 and endured a challenging race, picking up a 10-second time penalty for a collision with Alpine’s Franco Colapinto, ultimately finishing last among the remaining runners, two laps behind race winner Lando Norris.

Yet, despite the string of underwhelming performances, the 25-year-old insists the underlying pace is there – especially in qualifying – and believes a turnaround is within reach.

"Austria was a tough weekend for us, and I really had high hopes going into it," Tsunoda said ahead of this weekend's round of racing at Silverstone. "Unfortunately, things didn’t turn out the way we wanted, and we have to accept that and move on.

"I am feeling more and more confident in the car, which is why not being able to unlock the long run pace is frustrating for me.

"The team and I are working together to find a way to do that and to gain consistency across a weekend."

Searching for Race Day Answers

Tsunoda’s biggest hurdle at the moment remains his Sunday performance. While qualifying has been inconsistent, the long-run pace has proven even more elusive.

Red Bull’s RB21, designed largely around Max Verstappen’s driving style, has proven difficult for both Tsunoda and Lawson to adapt to.

• Read also: F1i Driver Ratings for the 2025 Austrian GP

The struggles come at a time when Tsunoda’s future with Red Bull is uncertain. With his contract set to expire at the end of the season and speculation mounting around potential moves – including a possible spot on Cadillac's shortlist – the pressure is building for him to deliver.

Still, the Japanese charger remains committed to pushing forward, with an eye on maximizing what he believes is untapped potential.

"The positive is I have shown and have felt that we have the potential to qualify well, it’s now about making sure set-up is right and I can lock a good lap in, like in Canada before the grid penalty," he concluded.

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