Yuki Tsunoda says he found the Red Bull “more complicated” than he was expected during his first training sessions for the Japanese Grand Prix team.
Tsunoda was promoted last week from Junior Team Racing Bulls Red Bull together with the ruling world champion Max Verstappen, because Liam Lawson was remarkably degraded only two races for the Formula 1 2025 season.
Tsunod, who debuted Red Bull at his home event, initially seemed to be doing well when he finished one place – and only a tenth of a second – for Verstappen in the first training.
24 -year -old man was 18. In the unrepresentative second session interrupted by four red flags, but then admitted that he considered the problematic RB21 difficult.
Tsunoda said, “FP1 was better than expected. A good beginning for himself.
“FP2, I didn’t even set time on bike. Lots of work.
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Christian Horner speaks through his early impressions from the new Red Bull Yuki Tsunoda driver during the first Japanese GP
“Maybe he fought slightly or there is something we have to look at FP2 data, but so far it was fine, I just have to build more confidence.”
Tsunoda said at the beginning of this week in his first interviews since he joined the team that he enjoyed driving RB21 on the simulator at the Milton Keynes Red Bull factory and thought it might suit his driving style.
But he said on Friday, “It’s a little different than the simulator I felt. Maybe more than expected when it comes to a car’s feeling.
“I knew it would always be a bit different in the real car, and in the real car it was a bit exaggerated and felt a little more complicated.”
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Anthony Davidson of Sky Sports F1 is on Skypad to talk to us across the journey Yuki Tsunod to Red Bull
Verstappen: Things are restless at me
Tsunoda was not alone in finding that the car was difficult to drive, and Verstappen also faced his settings when he finished eighth in the second practice.
While the practice Two was a strange session, the fighting of Red Bull was emphasized by the fact that both racing bulls ended in front of the team leader.
Isack Hadjar was third, while Lawson claimed the fifth when returning to the junior group.
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Max Verstappen revealed the fighting with the early weekend and said the car not “clicking” after training on the first day of the Japanese Grand Prix
Verstappen said, “It was quite chaotic to everyone outside with all the red flags.
“Today it was quite difficult for me. We have tried a lot of different things with the car, but it seems that many things are not really clinging at the moment, so it is quite difficult to lay a wheel down.
“You need a lot of self -confidence and determination here. At the moment I don’t feel like I could use it, so I still have enough work.”
Verstappen has already shown its ability to maximize the potential of the car with the second and fourth surface target to start the season, but at present it would seem that it would have little hope that for the rest of the weekend, McLren’s impressive pace in Suzuce would have little hope.
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McLaren’s Lando Norris released his verdict after Red Bull degraded Liam Lawson and elevated Yuki Tsunod to the senior team
HORNER: A positive start for Tsunod
Red Bull team director Christian Horner said after training that Tsunoda had done a “positive start” with the team.
Horner said Tsunoda was impressive in a tenth of Verstappen was not the result of getting more power than his teammate in RB21.
Said Sky Sports F1: “Both were identical engine modes.
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Formula 1 drivers have taken Red Bull’s decision on Demo Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda promotion to the senior team
“This is a positive start for Yuki. He knows the perimeter very well. His feedback is very clear, very brief in the car.
“It’s just the beginning of his trip with the team, and there’s a lot we have to get into.”
Even if they could run the same engine mode, Horner indicated that Tsunod’s car would be set differently to make Verstappen increase to make more rides.
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The Red Bull Yuki Tsunoda driver takes the older version of his new team to spin on the Toyko streets in front of the Japanese Grand Prix this weekend. With the kind permission of the Red Bull
Horner asked about the long -term fighting of Verstappen teams and said, “I think we have to provide another setting.
“Max’s ability to extract the time from the car is unique and I think we haven’t seen another driver who could do it as Max is capable.
“That’s why I think you have to give a almost quieter car to anyone who is the second driver to give a more seated and predictable feeling.
“It’s not necessarily the fastest car, but it’s definitely a more inspiring car for all drivers.”
Sky Sports F1’s Live Japanese GP Schedule
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Look back at some of the most dramatic moments that took place on the Japanese Grand Prix
Saturday 5th April
- 3.15: 00: Japanese practice GP three (session starts at 3.30 pm)*
- 6:00: Japanese qualification of Japanese GP*
- 7:00: Qualification of Japanese GP*
- 9:00: Ted’s qualifying notebook*
Sunday 6th April
- 4.30: Setup of Japanese GP: Sunday Grand Prix*
- 6:00: Japanese Grand Prix*
- 8:00: Japanese GP reaction: chessboard*
- 9:00: Ted’s notebook*
*Live also at the main Sky Sports event
The formula is this weekend on the Suzuka iconic circuit for the Japanese Grand Prix, Live On Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with now – no contract whenever cancel
