Yuki Tsunoda: “It was one of my best seasons in F1”
Red Bull driver Yuki Tsunoda was pleased with his performance throughout the 2024 season, which he described as « one of my best » since he started in Formula 1.
Yuki Tsunoda started in the top 10 in half of the 24 Grand Prix races held this year and scored points nine times, achieving a personal record ranking of 12th in the drivers’ championship. Among his highlights are an impressive third place in a qualifying session, in the rain at the São Paulo Grand Prix, as well as 7th places in Australia, Miami, and Brazil.
Reflecting on his fourth season in F1 and giving himself a score out of 10, the Racing Bulls driver stated: « I would say eight. There were a few races where I could have done better. Compared to the last four years, this is certainly one of my best seasons. »
« I scored more than half of the team’s points and showed good consistency, while regularly outperforming my teammates. I hope this will allow them to trust me more. I bring a lot of feedback to the team to improve the car, and we managed to turn the situation around in many races. In these areas, I have really taken a step forward », he says.
A performance praised by Laurent Mekies
This self-assessment was confirmed by the Racing Bulls team boss, Laurent Mekies, who praised the remarkable efforts of the Japanese driver during the season. When asked about Yuki Tsunoda’s performances at the end of the season, Mekies stated: Of course, he continues to impress me. If you look at the drivers’ performances, they closely reflect those of the team throughout the year.
« We had a slow start, a fantastic series of races, then a more challenging period with development issues. Eventually, we managed to get the car back into the right performance window for this latter part of the season, and the drivers’ results reflect that. »
« But when I see Yuki performing at this level again, as he did in the last races, it shows that his season has been exceptional. I think he has reached a milestone this year that no one could have anticipated, and it’s something he can be proud of. »
Yuki Tsunoda made his test debut with Red Bull during the end-of-season gathering in Abu Dhabi. However, despite his performances, the team has confirmed his former teammate Liam Lawson to replace Sergio Perez as Max Verstappen’s partner next year, while the F2 vice-champion, Isack Hadjar, will join Yuki Tsunoda in 2025.
