Navigating the Challenges of the RB21: Yuki Tsunoda’s Adaptation at Red Bull Racing
The current Formula 1 season has seen Red Bull Racing securing a commendable position in the standings, notably achieving third place and becoming the only team capable of challenging McLaren’s early dominance. This resurgence can be credited, in part, to Max Verstappen’s impressive performance at the Japanese Grand Prix. However, the road to this point has been anything but smooth for the Milton Keynes-based team, particularly with the RB21 model, which has not met all expectations.
The primary goal for Red Bull was to streamline the RB20, thereby expanding its operational window to offer more setup flexibility for both the team and the drivers. Despite some incremental improvements, the RB21 has proven to be a complex vehicle that poses significant driving challenges. This situation has particularly affected Yuki Tsunoda, who stepped in for Liam Lawson after just two races, following Lawson’s difficulties in adapting to the car.
From the onset of his stint at Suzuka, Tsunoda exhibited promising signs, demonstrating his ability to escape the lower ranks where Lawson had found himself mired in Australia and China without notable progress. The Japanese driver has shown a better capacity to grasp certain aspects of the RB21, but it is clear that he is still in the midst of his adaptation journey.
This transition is compounded by the immense pressure placed on Tsunoda as he enters a new environment, sharing the track with Verstappen. His objective at Red Bull is not to outpace Verstappen but rather to maintain a competitive distance that allows him to finish in the top ten and collect points. In fact, he was on track to achieve this in Jeddah until an unfortunate first-lap incident with Alpine’s Pierre Gasly derailed his potential.
When comparing the performance of Red Bull with their competitors, it’s evident that other teams, like the Racing Bulls, experience less load and lower performance peaks. However, they benefit from a broader operational window, making it easier for drivers and engineers to push the VCARB 02 to its limits.
Examining Tsunoda’s qualifying performance thus far, several key insights arise, especially in relation to Verstappen and the nuances of extracting the maximum potential from the RB21. Tsunoda faced challenges during his final Q2 run in Japan, failing to improve his time due to not fully piecing together the necessary components of his performance. In Bahrain, he encountered setbacks from a miscalculation at Turn 10, and in Saudi Arabia, an error at Turn 4 negatively impacted his results.
These mistakes echo the struggles experienced by Lawson, who similarly failed to complete his qualifying attempts without missteps while driving the RB21, underscoring how much both drivers have been pushed to their limits. Tsunoda has found the front end of the Red Bull to be exceptionally responsive—much more so than the Racing Bulls—and this level of sensitivity necessitates a significant adjustment period.
In his initial races with Red Bull, Tsunoda and Verstappen have operated under different downforce settings. Tsunoda opted for a higher downforce configuration to achieve greater consistency, while Verstappen has demonstrated an ability to handle a less loaded rear end, which also enhances top speed.
When asked about his confidence levels, Tsunoda expressed a positive outlook, considering his limited experience with the team. He noted, “For now, I’m trying to understand how this car works, how to place it in the optimal window for tire warm-up and setup. I don’t think I’ve grasped even half of it yet. These factors are crucial for me to work on as quickly as possible.”
Tsunoda’s emphasis on the need for consistency highlights a significant challenge he faces. The RB21 has shown itself to be an unpredictable car, complicating the task of maintaining performance at the limits. Furthermore, tire management and preparation are critical aspects in today’s racing, especially given the sensitivity of tires to temperature changes. This challenge is exacerbated by the RB21’s narrow operational window, which only Verstappen has successfully navigated with consistency.
“Max senses more things in the car than I do,” Tsunoda explained, referring to Verstappen’s ability to gauge tire temperatures from the moment he exits the garage. Tsunoda acknowledged that Verstappen’s adaptability to temperature fluctuations—from Q1 to Q3—enables him to adjust his warm-up laps and optimize tire performance in every corner. Tsunoda admitted, “I couldn’t feel what I used to with the Racing Bulls. I still can’t feel it with this car, possibly because I’m not entirely relaxed while driving.”
Building a new relationship with the team and his engineer is another essential factor in Tsunoda’s adaptation process. He recognized that the intricate details of the current regulations, which make tires sensitive to minute changes, require a solid bond between driver and engineer. This relationship is one of the strengths of Verstappen’s partnership with his race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase.
Reflecting on his experience in Bahrain, Tsunoda mentioned the importance of developing a rapport with his new track engineer at Red Bull. He humorously noted that the operational aspects, such as tire warm-up and steering wheel switches, need to be more streamlined, as the current situation feels somewhat chaotic. Tsunoda remarked, “Woody [Richard Wood, track engineer] and I need to strengthen our relationship a little bit.”
In 2024, Tsunoda also transitioned to a new race engineer with the Racing Bulls, as Ernesto Desiderio took over from Mattia Spini. Desiderio had been with the team long enough to foster effective communication with Tsunoda, easing his transition.
To facilitate Tsunoda’s acclimatization at Red Bull, the team organized an intensive simulator session and on-track training with an RB19. This opportunity allowed him to gain valuable experience away from the high-pressure environment of a race weekend, further aiding his adjustment to the RB21.
As the season progresses, it will be intriguing to observe how Tsunoda continues to adapt to the challenges presented by the RB21. His journey reflects the broader narrative of the complexities faced by drivers in the ever-evolving realm of Formula 1 racing.
