Once Red Bull confirmed Sergio Perez was to leave the team, the two Racing Bull drivers battled for the vacant seat. Red Bull picked Liam Lawson, who had raced only eleven times in Formula 1, over the more experienced Yuki Tsunoda.
The pressure would be on Lawson to perform going into the opening round in Australia. He was expected to back up his teammate Max Verstappen as the Austrian team looked to take on McLaren. However, qualifying didn’t go his way, and he was outshone by Tsunoda, who had a great day.
Yuki Tsunoda qualifies fifth as Liam Lawson falls in Q1
Yuki Tsunoda performed well during the qualifying session in Australia, finishing fifth and ahead of both Ferraris and Lawson. He extracted the maximum performance from the car and stunned the grid, putting his Racing Bull higher than imagined. From pre-season testing, the Racing Bull didn’t look quick enough to challenge the midfield, but Tsunoda produced a “magic” lap to start on the third row.
Yuki Tsunoda said: “Yeah, I can say definitely it was a magic lap, you know. I think I was able to put it all together as well. The quality of laps was the best out of previous rounds throughout the week so far.
“That lap time came out a bit of nowhere. So, very happy, but also I think just the car pace so far throughout the week was consistently good. That gives me extra confidence into the qualifying.”
His session was in stark contrast to Liam Lawson’s. This is the first time Lawson has raced in Melbourne, and he was unlucky not to drive in FP3 due to an engine issue. This lack of run time cost him as he made mistakes in two of his push laps. On his second run, he locked up in turn three, and he had a scruffy final sector on his final lap.
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Although Christian Horner jumped to Lawson’s defence, it was a disappointing session for the 23-year-old, who is under much scrutiny. Having completed only eleven races in F1, he was chosen to become Max Verstappen’s teammate. We have seen previously young drivers partner the four-time world champion and fail to deliver.
This move to a top team might have come too early for him. A Q1 exit on the first race won’t help his confidence. Maybe a driver with four seasons under his belt would have been the better option while Lawson could learn his trade in the junior team.
Where could Yuki Tsunoda’s future lie?
Yuki Tsuonda needs to keep the pressure on Liam Lawson and perform well consistently to make it to the senior team. The opening qualifying session of the season went in his favour, but he needs to continue to push on. Tsunoda’s contract is up at the end of the season, and if he isn’t in a Red Bull, it might be time to move on.
Christian Horner has questioned whether keeping Yuki in the junior team “makes sense“, meaning if he isn’t promoted, the Japanese driver might have to look elsewhere for a race seat.
If he were to leave, an option for Tsunoda would be Aston Martin. Honda has a long-standing relationship with Yuki, and the engine manufacturer is joining the Green Team next season. This could help Tsuonda get a seat with Aston Martin.
Another option would be Cadillac, which will join the grid next season. They will likely want an experienced driver, and there are rumours they are interested in Tsuonda. There are options for Yuki away from Red Bull, but his main aim will be to make it in the senior team.
