Tsunoda 'proving to the people' with his performances as he reflects on strong start to 2024
Yuki Tsunoda scored his first points of the season in Australia with a mature drive to eighth at the flag – which became seventh thanks to Fernando Alonso’s post-race penalty. That result lifted RB above Haas in the constructors’ standings into sixth, a just reward for a team that have been knocking on the door of points since Bahrain.
“The team did a fantastic job throughout the week, consistent from FP1, top 10 consistently and finally able to score the points. We just needed these points to have a good start to the season,” he said afterwards.
“I would say very, very happy with my performance. I think particularly this week we were very consistent. Also, the qualifying last three races, pretty good as well.
"I needed a bit of a good race, clean race to prove I could also have a good, strong race not just the qualifying and I think this was a good race – this as the race I was able to prove [that] and I just keep to what I’m doing and hopefully also I can score points in Suzuka as well.”
Tsunoda’s home race is up next, and with Suzuka also boasting some of the high-speed corners that characterise Albert Park, RB will be confident they can replicate this kind of result.
“I’m feeling pretty confident because the car is performing consistently since Bahrain. We were kind of lacking performance lats year, some of the tracks were kind of disasters but so far this season we didn’t have it, we just consistently perform well so I’m sure we’ll perform well in Suzuka and other tracks as well.
“It’s just a matter of focussing on ourselves, in such a tight midfield, anything can happen. Any mistakes will change high positions easily so yeah, just focus on ourselves and just squeeze a few more milliseconds from the car.”
With a potential seat up for grabs at Red Bull next year, not to mention the threat of Liam Lawson who did so well when he stood in for Daniel Ricciardo last year, it is an interesting time to be in the Red Bull stable for Tsunoda.
“As for myself, I just keep proving [with] my performance not just the talking, it’s my style – just showing the result and just proving to the people. I’m happy I’m able to show my performance and people are looking at me more than in the last three years so yeah, this is a good sign.
"Just keep improving what I’m doing and with Daniel [Ricciardo], still just working really, really well and hopefully we can make the car fast and fight against Aston Martin, Mercedes – those cars.”
. 
RB driver Daniel Ricciardo has opened up about his difficult start to the 2024 season
Speaking after his home race at Albert Park, and what he needs to unlock from the RB package going forward, Ricciardo said: “It’s a two-part process now. Obviously I look as much as I can into myself, into data, into onboards, how I’m driving, what’s making me do certain things.
“Then is that self-induced or is that something coming from the car which isn’t giving me the feeling I want? Then I’m asking the engineers lots of questions, because the car is pretty much the same as last year. Obviously it’s a different car but it’s not that we’ve changed the whole philosophy – the handling and the characteristics are fairly similar.
“I think that’s why we’re probably a little bit, maybe unsure why we’re struggling so much, and certainly Yuki is very, very comfortable with it. It’s pretty similar, so we’ll keep working. I’m trying to get them to go around the car with a magnifying glass as well and make sure nothing’s off!
“As a driver you put everything you can into it but you want to ask as many questions as possible and make sure we’ve got everything as it should [be]. I’m sure we’ll find something, keep our head straight and keep our eyes on the prize, I guess.”
“I know how I feel, and maybe not everyone does, but it’s a very different situation to McLaren,” he made clear. “I think especially in 2022 I was running on very, very little confidence, I was kind of confused with the car and I didn’t really understand it. That was a completely different thing and this isn’t that.
“We’re certainly not achieving what we thought we would be but it’s not through just being lost or losing confidence or anything. We know we can do it, I thought it would have happened this weekend, unfortunately it didn’t. But we’re not going to start letting the noise creep in, just stay true to the course and it’ll turn around.”
Yuki is a very attractive prospect for Aston. He comes with the Honda engine and he won't constantly make Lance seem average like Alonso is doing now. The only drawback is Aston won't have a champion in the car.kptaylor wrote: ↑28 Mar 2024, 16:41Yuki is there due to Honda funding. His immaturity and inability to effectively communicate under stress is telling and will prevent him from moving up to RBR. Does that mean Aston will take Yuki along with the funding or that Honda will still package him with their contract? Who knows?
Put it this way. When the Honda Engine goes, so will Yuki. He wasn't a RedBull child, he came with Honda. This is also why there is a reluctance to promote him to RedBull who will change to Ford branded engines in two years time. He will be taking up the space that a true RedBull driver should get.ispano6 wrote: ↑31 Mar 2024, 16:42Yuki probably stays at Vcarb due to Horner and probably to spite Honda.
I see Yuki's only chance in the RB as reserve driver for Max and Checo, which may seem like a --- move for 2025, but may present itself with opportunities for direct comparison.
And who knows, Maybe Max and Jos come with the Honda engine too in 2029.
Put it this way, Honda is staying. and so will Yuki, but as I said, probably not at the RB seat in 2025, but very likely at vcarb, thanks to his own abilities, not Honda's help.PlatinumZealot wrote: ↑31 Mar 2024, 21:15Put it this way. When the Honda Engine goes, so will Yuki. He wasn't a RedBull child, he came with Honda. This is also why there is a reluctance to promote him to RedBull who will change to Ford branded engines in two years time. He will be taking up the space that a true RedBull driver should get.ispano6 wrote: ↑31 Mar 2024, 16:42Yuki probably stays at Vcarb due to Horner and probably to spite Honda.
I see Yuki's only chance in the RB as reserve driver for Max and Checo, which may seem like a --- move for 2025, but may present itself with opportunities for direct comparison.
And who knows, Maybe Max and Jos come with the Honda engine too in 2029.
Another reason a knee-jerk reaction is unlikely is Ricciardo's proximity to the $35 million-a-year title partnership with Visa and CashApp. Ricciardo is represented by CAA Sports, which helped broker that particular deal, and sources have told ESPN that his presence in the team helped increase the final number; a testimony to the marketing clout of the man still considered to be the face of Netflix's hit documentary series "Drive to Survive".
While Visa and CashApp do not have the power to block a driver move, the importance of that deal to Red Bull GmbH -- which opted for the title partnership over selling the second team altogether -- gives Ricciardo an extra level of protection. Several sources have even suggested to ESPN that the deal could work against Ricciardo in terms of his Red Bull aspirations -- assuming his form were to improve -- if Visa and Cash App are keen for him to remain as the face of RB.
None of that is to say Ricciardo's position at RB is unassailable. There are no mitigating circumstances to explain his lack of pace in 2024. He has had a full preseason to acclimate to the new car, and yet he does not look comfortable at all. He has not shied away from this narrative and has suggested that he still has a ways to go to feel comfortable with the VCARB 01.
------------------------
The next few weeks might well bring clarity on the situation around Pérez's seat, with driver market movement truly kicking off in the weeks leading into the Miami Grand Prix in early May.
Honda is staying with RedBull? That is news to me. I am pretty sure they are leaving RedBull racing at the end of 2025 and Yuki by extension.ispano6 wrote: ↑01 Apr 2024, 01:47Put it this way, Honda is staying. and so will Yuki, but as I said, probably not at the RB seat in 2025, but very likely at vcarb, thanks to his own abilities, not Honda's help.PlatinumZealot wrote: ↑31 Mar 2024, 21:15Put it this way. When the Honda Engine goes, so will Yuki. He wasn't a RedBull child, he came with Honda. This is also why there is a reluctance to promote him to RedBull who will change to Ford branded engines in two years time. He will be taking up the space that a true RedBull driver should get.ispano6 wrote: ↑31 Mar 2024, 16:42Yuki probably stays at Vcarb due to Horner and probably to spite Honda.
I see Yuki's only chance in the RB as reserve driver for Max and Checo, which may seem like a --- move for 2025, but may present itself with opportunities for direct comparison.
And who knows, Maybe Max and Jos come with the Honda engine too in 2029.
Besides, there probably will be a 2nd team supplied by Honda eventually.
no Yuki jop is to crash everyone the midfield ,he has been the quickest guy in quali in the last four races so he need to consistently perform in the race.if sainz goes to Audi merc will have no choice but to pick the best guy in the midfield i dont think merc rookies will be ready for f1.Alonso will not have an appetite to race against Russell on equal terms when at mclaren he insisted on being the first to get upgrades.PlatinumZealot wrote: ↑02 Apr 2024, 05:11Honda is staying with RedBull? That is news to me. I am pretty sure they are leaving RedBull racing at the end of 2025 and Yuki by extension.ispano6 wrote: ↑01 Apr 2024, 01:47Put it this way, Honda is staying. and so will Yuki, but as I said, probably not at the RB seat in 2025, but very likely at vcarb, thanks to his own abilities, not Honda's help.PlatinumZealot wrote: ↑31 Mar 2024, 21:15
Put it this way. When the Honda Engine goes, so will Yuki. He wasn't a RedBull child, he came with Honda. This is also why there is a reluctance to promote him to RedBull who will change to Ford branded engines in two years time. He will be taking up the space that a true RedBull driver should get.
Besides, there probably will be a 2nd team supplied by Honda eventually.
Yuki's sole goal now is to trounce Daniel in 2024, and then try to trounce Lawson in 2025. If he does a good enough, job it will be easy for him to move into Aston. I don't expect Alonso to stick around.
You know what I mean. Why are you trolling this team thread again with anti Honda/Tsunoda jibes. it's concerning how much attention you focus on Yuki not being good enough to be on the F1 grid when he clearly is. No more replying to ppl on my ignore thread.PlatinumZealot wrote: ↑02 Apr 2024, 05:11Honda is staying with RedBull? That is news to me. I am pretty sure they are leaving RedBull racing at the end of 2025 and Yuki by extension.
Yuki's sole goal now is to trounce Daniel in 2024, and then try to trounce Lawson in 2025. If he does a good enough, job it will be easy for him to move into Aston. I don't expect Alonso to stick around.
News flash. You are already on my ignore list for like two years now.ispano6 wrote: ↑02 Apr 2024, 16:43You know what I mean. Why are you trolling this team thread again with anti Honda/Tsunoda jibes. it's concerning how much attention you focus on Yuki not being good enough to be on the F1 grid when he clearly is. No more replying to ppl on my ignore thread.PlatinumZealot wrote: ↑02 Apr 2024, 05:11Honda is staying with RedBull? That is news to me. I am pretty sure they are leaving RedBull racing at the end of 2025 and Yuki by extension.
Yuki's sole goal now is to trounce Daniel in 2024, and then try to trounce Lawson in 2025. If he does a good enough, job it will be easy for him to move into Aston. I don't expect Alonso to stick around.
