Yuki Tsunoda’s Disastrous Red Bull Debut Unveiled: Villeneuve’s Brutal Assessment
Yuki Tsunoda’s Red Bull debut at the Japanese Grand Prix left much to be desired, with the young driver failing to impress during qualifying. Former World Champion Jacques Villeneuve did not hold back, labeling Tsunoda’s performance as “not good enough” after he was eliminated in Q2, trailing behind teammate Max Verstappen by half a second.
Despite a promising start to the race weekend, Tsunoda’s decision to opt for a tyre-saving set-up on his Red Bull RB21 seemed to backfire during qualifying. Villeneuve suggested that Tsunoda’s choice of a high downforce set-up may have hindered his straight-line speed, ultimately costing him valuable time on the track.
Red Bull’s senior advisor, Helmut Marko, had hinted at the team’s plans to make the second Red Bull car more driver-friendly upon Tsunoda’s arrival. However, the Japanese driver’s struggles in qualifying raised questions about his set-up choices and experience level.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner defended Tsunoda’s decision, explaining that the driver was experimenting with different downforce levels throughout the sessions. While Tsunoda showed competitiveness in Q1, a mistake in Q2 led to his disappointing grid position for the race.
Despite the setback, Horner expressed confidence in Tsunoda’s racing abilities and believed that the young driver could still deliver a strong performance in the Grand Prix. With tensions rising within the Red Bull camp, all eyes are now on Tsunoda as he looks to bounce back from his debut heartbreak and prove his critics wrong on the track.
