Albon relates to Tsunoda’s Red Bull challenge: ‘I see it quite clearly'

Alex Albon knows exactly what it feels like to be in Yuki Tsunoda’s seat at Red Bull, and that has encouraged the Williams driver to throw a lifeline of empathy to his friend and F1 rival amid his current struggles.

Tsunoda, who was promoted from Racing Bulls to Red Bull Racing at last April’s Japanese Grand Prix, has spent most of his 2025 campaign grappling with the outfit’s tricky RB21 car, making him the latest in a line of Red Bull juniors struggling to shine alongside the indomitable Max Verstappen.

It’s a tale as old as time in the Red Bull garage – second drivers, from Pierre Gasly to Albon himself, have often found themselves in Verstappen’s towering shadow.

Albon, who stepped into the Red Bull hot seat midway through 2019 after Gasly’s exit, knows the feeling all too well. His tenure ended in 2020, but the lessons linger, and he’s using them to guide Tsunoda through the storm.

“I empathise with it, I see it quite clearly,” he said on the BBC’s recent Chequered Flag podcast.

“I think it’s split in many ways. The time that I was at Red Bull, I joined six months into my Formula 1 career. And I just realised, in hindsight, I was in a predicament when I joined the team at Red Bull, because I had a car that I wasn’t comfortable with, and I didn’t know, I didn’t have the experience to get myself out of it.

“I struggled with it, but my experience level wasn’t to the point, and my maturity as a human being, to understand how to get myself out of that situation. I see it now, and I understand the same feelings.”

A Bond Beyond the Track

Albon’s connection with Tsunoda goes beyond mere sympathy – it’s a genuine friendship built on shared struggles and mutual respect.

“I speak with Yuki a lot, and try to help him in any way I can. We have a great relationship and I really love Yuki. But it’s hard,” Albon confessed.

Their frequent chats reveal a mentorship of sorts, with Albon offering wisdom from his own battles to help Tsunoda weather the Red Bull pressure cooker. It’s a tough gig, especially when your teammate is, in Albon’s words, “arguably the best driver that’s driven a Formula 1 car.”

Albon was candid about Verstappen’s prowess, marveling at his ability to tame even the most unruly machines.

“I mean, that’s the big statement, I know, but, I do really mean that,” he said.

“He can drive a car that’s not comfortable to drive, and I think he can hide a lot of problems, and he’s the one that can clearly drive it,” Albon said.

For Tsunoda, matching Verstappen’s pace is like chasing a mirage – daunting, but Albon’s support offers a beacon of hope.

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