RB21 not 'super difficult' says Tsunoda: 'Unexpected behaviour when I push'

10:45, 02 May

byNorberto Mujica

Yuki Tsunoda's adaptation to the diva Red Bull Racing car, the RB21, has gone as well as it could've been expected. Although he says he still requires more time 'to know where the limit is', he is confident he can succeed where Liam Lawson and Sergio Perez failed.

Tsunoda has been able to improve on the last runs that his predecessors Liam Lawson and Sergio Perez managed to gather in Red Bull Racing's surprisingly complex car. His full adaptation to the car described by team boss Christian Horner as 'a bit of a diva', however, still requires some time yet.

"It just needs more time, I guess, to get used to it fully," said Tsunoda during the FIA Driver's press conference in Miami, who's only driven for Red Bull in three race weekends so far.

"I’m happy with the progress so far. The confidence is quite there, but just when you push 100% on the limit in qualifying, that’s where you kind of face it for the first time. Because you don’t push 100% until then."

"In qualifying, most of the time so far I experience new behaviour from the car and I’m not always able to cope with it. I wouldn’t say the car is super difficult – it just needs more time to define where the limit is."

Read also

Tsunoda aims to succeed where Lawson and Perez failed

Where it was impossible for Liam Lawson and for Sergio Perez to perform in the difficult Red Bull cars, Tsunoda believes he can do what his predecessors couldn't.

"Sometimes you just have to accept the difficulties of the car. Like, if it feels like a lot of understeer or oversteer, but lap time is good, probably stick to that direction. It’s a different approach. I’m learning as much as possible," he conceeds.

Despite a few communication snags, Tsunoda feels supported by the team and has confidence in his acclimatisation process ultimately.

"The team is helping a lot with those directions. I just have to get used to it. It will get there. I just try to keep my head down and slowly build up. Even with the general environment [within the team], me and my engineer – he’s Scottish, so a mix of Scottish English and my Japanese English – it’s a bit interesting. Those things just need more time to blend in."