Yuki Tsunoda, Japanese driver of RB VCARB 01, expressed his dissatisfaction with his last attempt in Q2 of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in Formula 1. Despite achieving his best starting position of the season, finishing seventh, Tsunoda felt he could have done even better. He had a successful start to the 2024 campaign, with three points earned in the first six races, placing him in tenth in the drivers’ standings. In Imola, he continued to impress by qualifying ahead of Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes. However, Tsunoda regretted not optimizing his last attempt and settled for seventh place. He acknowledged the team’s efforts in providing a competitive car throughout the weekend, which contributed to his feat in Q2. Tsunoda expressed gratitude for the support and remained hopeful for better results in the future.
Tsunoda admitted he was surprised by the speed of the Red Bull during qualifying in Imola. He hopes to convert this performance into points in tomorrow’s race.
“Honestly, I didn’t expect the car to perform so well,” he said.
“However, when we’re driving at high speed, there’s not a significant difference compared to the top five teams from previous races. So, we need to understand this better going forward. Maybe race pace makes a difference, I’m not sure.”
In the last round in Miami, Tsunoda managed to distance himself from a Mercedes car, leading him to believe that Red Bull’s sister team has the potential to reach the teams ahead. However, he also recognizes that this success may not necessarily translate to other tracks.
“We started consistently performing in the top six, which shows how much we can adapt to the track,” he explained.
“So far, we are doing well on all tracks, especially after the updates from Miami. This confirmed our capabilities. But we remain cautious, knowing that this level of success may not always be repeated. We will continue to strive.”
Tsunoda emphasizes that the team’s confidence in the car has increased significantly since the beginning of the season. He believes that the slow start to the year contributed to this improvement.
“Furthermore, starting in first place offers many opportunities to score points. Personally, I am determined to make the most of these opportunities.”
With Daniel Ricciardo qualifying in ninth place, Red Bull will have two cars starting in scoring positions. The team aims to further extend its advantage over Haas in the championship.
“I think the whole team is performing exceptionally well,” commented Tsunoda. “For us, we will continue to focus on improving the car’s performance in the best possible way.”
