Max Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda - Photo: Red Bull Content Pool

Tsunoda expects hard battles fueled by Verstappen's title bid

18:48, 23 Oct

byKada Sarkozi

With Red Bull Racing aiming to have the RB21 in the best shape possible to help Max Verstappen fight for the world title, Yuki Tsunoda expects to be in hard battles as well.

"I think with this car you know we can fight for sure hard against the top teams."

- Yuki Tsunoda

Since the summer break, Verstappen has significantly reduced the gap to the McLaren drivers in the championship standings. The Dutchman finished first three times and second twice over the last five Grands Prix.

Speaking to GPblog, Tsunoda sounded optimistic when discussing the team’s current form.

He commented: "It's definitely positive. The team is pushing to get a good result as much as possible in the second half of the season and especially focusing on Max to get the drivers' championship."

Red Bull is also fighting Mercedes and Ferrari for second place in the constructors' standings. The Austrians are currently fourth with only 10 points separating all three teams.

Tsunoda, who finished seventh at the United States GP, continued: "We're also not giving up the team championship as well and I'm happy that I was able to score some points [at COTA]."

"And I think with this car you know we can for sure fight hard against the top teams."

Tsunoda driving the RB21 at the United States GP - Photo: Race Pictures

Mekies believes Tsunoda can help Verstappen

Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies believes Tsunoda can play an important role in Verstappen’s title bid.

He said: “I think there is a role. A, because there is still a Constructor Championship discussion, obviously not for the win but for the other aspects, so we need a Yuki response, and B, the faster Yuki is, the more we can split the test across the car.

“We told you a couple of times this weekend, we test this with that car, we test this with the other car. So it's important for us to have a very fast Yuki.

“And in terms of sporting situations and battling and strategy, it is also possible that with Yuki picking up, we can at some stage be in a position where we battle two against two.”

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