The Qualifying session at the Japanese Grand Prix saw Yuki Tsunoda get knocked out in Q2, finishing P15. This was disappointing for the driver who had high hopes heading into his first race weekend with Red Bull Racing. Just 1 week ago, Red Bull confirmed that he would replace Liam Lawson who was struggling with unlocking the potential of the RB21.
Until the second Qualifying session for the Japanese Grand Prix, it seemed as though Tsunoda’s pace was just a tenth behind Verstappen’s, which is quite impressive. He showed a consistent pace throughout the practice session. Even in Q1, Tsunoda managed to remain in the top 10. However, in Q2, he was not able to show the same pace he had shown in Q1. He was even out-qualified by Liam Lawson, the driver he replaced in Red Bull.
Yuki Tsunoda had issues on the warm-up lap in Q2
After the Qualifying session on Saturday, Tsunoda spoke to F1 TV, where he said:
“I think the warm-up didn’t go as I wanted. I knew it’s gonna be a little bit compromised, but the penalty was pretty big. Shame that I didn’t able to extract the performance from the car”
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During his first hotlap in Q2, Red Bull had given him used tyres, which they hoped had more pace. After the lap, he was almost a second behind Verstappen, who had completed his lap on fresh soft tyres. Following the first runs in Q2, there was a red flag caused by a fire on the grass that halted the session. Following this, the pressure was on Tsunoda to deliver a single fast lap.
However, during the warm-up lap, he was unable to get the rear tyres to optimal temperatures. This caused oversteer to Tsunoda’s RB21 on the first sector of the lap. This cost him dearly and eventually led to him being knocked out in Q2.
Having optimal tyre temperatures is crucial to have a quick lap around any circuit. The Suzuka Circuit is one of the most tricky and entertaining laps on the F1 calendar due to its complex layout and high-speed corners that require maximum tyre performance, which Tsunoda did not have during his final hot lap in Q2.
Tsunoda can still recover at the Japanese Grand Prix
Although the Japanese driver only managed to qualify 15th for the race on Sunday, there is still hope for him to turn things around. His teammate, Max Verstappen, delivered a stunning performance to put himself in pole position for the race on Sunday. So we know that the car has the pace to fight in the top 5. All Tsunoda has to do is focus on the race tomorrow and get the job done.
Guenther Steiner Supports Yuki Tsunoda for Red Bull Seat: “He’s Quick and Consistent”
One other factor which could help Tsunoda is the weather. Rain is predicted on Sunday morning before the race. There is a possibility that it could last for the start of the race as well. This could provide Tsunoda the chance to jump ahead of the field if Red Bull gets their strategy right, which they usually do.
If the Japanese Grand Prix does start in wet weather conditions tomorrow, it could end up being a very entertaining race for the fans. Do you think Yuki Tsunoda will be able to fight his way back during the race on Sunday? Post your thoughts in the comments section below.
