Yuki Tsunoda’s Las Vegas Nightmare: Everything Went Wrong
In a weekend that was supposed to sparkle, Yuki Tsunoda found himself mired in disappointment at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, declaring, “everything was going against me.” The Japanese racer, who drives for Red Bull, faced yet another fruitless outing, marking his 16th race of the season without scoring a single point.
The drama unfolded with a dismal qualifying performance that left Tsunoda starting the race from the pit lane, forced to swap in a new power unit. Despite the odds stacked against him, there were glimmers of hope on the circuit, as Lewis Hamilton clawed his way from 19th to an impressive 8th place, and Kimi Antonelli soared from 17th to the podium. Yet, Tsunoda could only secure a disappointing P12, even after McLaren’s disqualification, leaving fans and critics alike questioning his capabilities.
Frustration bubbled over as Tsunoda lamented the timing of a crucial virtual safety car, which he felt derailed any chance of a comeback. “The thing is, the safety car came in right after I did it,” he explained. “We tried to get ahead, but it backfired spectacularly. It feels like everything so far is going against me, and the luck and everything. I don’t like the word luck, but this weekend feels like it’s really, really bad luck.” His palpable disappointment was evident as he expressed his frustration, “It’s strange and frustrating that I wasn’t able to use the pace I had until qualifying. Just throwing it away.”
Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies echoed Tsunoda’s sentiments, lamenting that “with Yuki, we lost the points yesterday.” Mekies highlighted the team’s strategy to pit him early to avoid traffic in hopes of showcasing his speed, but it simply wasn’t enough. The team has yet to finalize its lineup for the upcoming season, leaving Tsunoda’s future in limbo, as rumors swirl about who will join Max Verstappen next year.
Tsunoda, now in his fifth season of Formula 1, remains hopeful that his practice session performances will convince Red Bull of his potential. “At least I’ve shown multiple times until qualifying that I can compete,” he said, reflecting on his strong showings in practice. “I was fighting quite strongly against Max and on multiple occasions, I was ahead of him.” However, he acknowledged the challenge of competing against someone of Verstappen’s caliber, noting that “Max brings another level into qualifying and has a confidence that’s hard to match.”
As the dust settles on a tumultuous Las Vegas GP, Tsunoda’s future hangs in the balance, with fans eagerly awaiting whether the young talent can turn his misfortunes into triumphs. Will he rise from the ashes of disappointment, or will the weight of expectation prove too heavy? The clock is ticking, and the racing world is watching.
