Tsunoda, a first home Grand Prix in Red Bull colors “It’s an absolutely incredible situation”
The tension was palpable this morning at the press conference in Suzuka, the smiles discreet and the tone solemn. Yuki faces a new pressure: having just joined Red Bull, he has to prove himself in a very short space of time.
Tsunoda, the local hero under pressure
Yuki Tsunoda, acclaimed by the crowd, expressed his desire to shine in front of his audience: « Racing at Suzuka is always a special moment for me. I feel immense pride in representing Japan and I will do everything possible to achieve the best result. » Tsunoda stated that he was « really looking forward » to making his debut with the team, which coincides with his home championship round at Suzuka.
“It’s an absolutely incredible situation,” he stated, asserting that he would try to transform this situation into positive energy.
The dream of being able to win at home remains in a corner of his mind, but he stays focused on what he has to do: « To be honest, it’s more of a dream than a goal. »
For the Japanese driver, the simulation sessions in the RB21 went very well, and he is satisfied. I didn’t have the impression that it was so complicated, but I understand and felt a bit of what the drivers mentioned about instability. He tested several configurations to best understand all aspects of the car.
« These two days in the simulator have been very productive, and I now know in which direction I can start. »
Tsunoda began the season in his fifth year with Red Bull’s sister team. He conducted his first tests for the Austrian team at the end of last year on the Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi, which he says allowed him to usefully grasp the specifics of the car’s behavior.
Little anecdote: when Pierre Gasly learned that Yuki would be transferred to Red Bull, he called his former AlphaTauri teammate. He wanted to share his experience with Red Bull and especially wanted to tell me what he should have done and what might work today. Let’s hope all this good advice will be applicable for Tsunoda. But the task will be difficult because the priority is max. The Japanese driver is ready to give his best, as he will only have free practice to adapt to his new car. Nevertheless, he hopes to reach Q3 in the qualifying session and score as many points as possible.
