Title: Tsunoda’s Struggles: The Shocking Truth Behind Red Bull’s Monza Qualifying Woes
In a dramatic twist at the Italian Grand Prix, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen soared to pole position, shattering records with the fastest qualifying lap in Formula 1 history, clocking in at a blistering 164.466mph. However, overshadowing this triumph is the conspicuous absence of teammate Yuki Tsunoda from the front of the grid—a stark reminder of the ongoing battle within the Red Bull ranks.
Despite Verstappen’s unparalleled performance, Tsunoda found himself languishing in 10th place, trailing his illustrious teammate by a staggering seven tenths of a second. This season has seen Tsunoda struggle to keep pace with the four-time world champion, failing to outqualify Verstappen even once. The discrepancies in their performance have raised eyebrows and ignited speculation about his future with the team.
Tsunoda offered a litany of explanations for his disappointing showing at Monza, including a significant upgrade to Red Bull’s floor that was announced but not specifically tailored for this race. “To be honest, we have different floors this weekend,” Tsunoda revealed, drawing parallels to earlier in the season when he and Verstappen were running on differing specifications until they finally aligned just before the summer break. “The car is probably not fast, but still, we’re trying to make progress with upgrades as much as possible. It’s a situation like I had before Spa. I can easily accept it.”
While he downplayed the upgrade differences as “not massive,” Tsunoda acknowledged that every little detail counts in such a tightly contested field. “I would say [it comprises] a couple of details, but you know, details always make the difference in this kind of tight pack. But for me, being in Q3 was the target anyway, so it was good.”
Tsunoda’s performance was further hampered by the inherent challenges of leading the pack during qualifying, which he described as a disadvantage. “Also, I had to lead the pack in Q3… Leading the pack here traditionally is bad, which I clearly felt in the last push [lap], even though the lap was pretty good. Easily three tenths, four tenths [of a second] is there, but it is what it is,” he lamented. Yet, he managed to maintain a positive outlook, emphasizing that reaching Q3 was still a significant achievement.
In a twist of fate, Tsunoda’s main rival for the second 2026 Red Bull seat, Isack Hadjar, faltered during qualifying, exiting in Q1. This stroke of luck places Tsunoda in a pivotal position to ensure both Red Bulls score points for a second consecutive race—a crucial factor as the team weighs its options for the future.
With every qualifying session under intense scrutiny and the clock ticking on Red Bull’s monumental 2026 decision, Tsunoda’s performance will be closely monitored. As the pressure mounts, fans and analysts alike are left speculating whether the young Japanese driver can rise to the occasion or if his time at Red Bull is running out. The stakes have never been higher, and the world of Formula 1 is watching keenly as the drama unfolds.
