Yuki Tsunoda believes no Red Bull driver has been able to adapt to the car immediately. Speaking to Sportskeeda ahead of the 2025 British GP, the Japanese driver admitted that the RB21 requires more time to master, but expected improvements on the car to help him settle in further.
With a longstanding belief in the paddock that the Red Bull car naturally suits Max Verstappen’s driving style, most second drivers have faced challenges adapting to it. Tsunoda has fared better than Liam Lawson so far, but the pattern remains: adapting to the RB21 is a process that takes time.
Responding to Sportskeeda’s question on whether the second driver in Red Bull needs more time to adapt, Tsunoda felt it depends on the individual. He pointed out that he has yet to drive the fully upgraded version of the RB21 and believes that once he has access to the complete package, he can close the gap to Verstappen. He acknowledged progress but admitted that the timeline to adapt remains unclear.
The 22-year-old also revealed he has experimented with new driving styles to understand the RB21 better, a contrast to his experience at VCARB, where he felt more instinctively in tune with the car. At Red Bull, he said, building confidence throughout the weekend is key.
Asked by Sportskeeda about his understanding of the RB21 so far in terms of the period required for the second driver to match Verstappen, Tsunoda said:
“I mean, I don’t know. It depends on the driver, but also at the same time, I didn’t see yet so far the driver who probably got used to it in that car straight away. So that’s probably the fact, but at the same time, I feel I’m in the right direction, at least on the short runs. Yeah, I missed out probably Q1 in Austria, but at the same time, the gap was pretty small. Also in terms of the whole package, I know there’s something to come as well into this year compared to Max. So once I get the full package, I still have good confidence that I can be in a level that they want. That’s what I’m working hard on. In terms of the long run is exactly the place that I’m still probably struggling at, but I’ll find a way.”
“I saw a couple of driving styles that I can try that I have never tried in my career in Formula 1. It’s just the learning stuff. Is it true that in terms of confidence, when the condition changes every session, maybe I’m taking a little bit more time compared to where I used to have at VCARB where for example, I knew exactly how the car was going to drive in each set-up, I can go flat out from the first push. But maybe in the Red Bull, I had to build up, which for me is the right approach. I don’t think it’s a wrong approach, but just takes a bit of time. I don’t know if it’s going to take a whole season or not, but at least it’s positive that I’m going in the right direction,” Yuki Tsunoda added.
Yuki Tsunoda believes Red Bull has been extremely supportive of his progress
Yuki Tsunoda believes that Red Bull senior management, including Christian Horner and Helmut Marko, have been highly supportive during his transition into the team. Speaking ahead of the 2025 British GP, the Japanese driver said he felt the team had given him the space and time needed to adapt to the RB21 without unnecessary pressure.
Tsunoda acknowledged that Red Bull had shown more patience with him than they have typically shown with other drivers in the past. He appreciated that the team had allowed him to build his rhythm gradually, helping him understand the car better and improve his performance step by step. The 22-year-old felt the approach was encouraging and contributed positively to his development within the main team.
Asked if he’s well supported within Red Bull Racing despite the slack in performance, Yuki Tsunoda said:
“Definitely, yeah. I mean, I feel definitely the support, especially these days and more than ever, from Christian, Helmut. I went to the south of UK with a physio at Red Bull Racing to kind of reset myself, and that was coming from them. They just wanted to have fresh air and everything. So that helps a lot to me to build up my rhythm. Also, we're going to try a couple of things that I never tried, and they allow me to do quite a lot of things that probably they wouldn’t do in a normal case. So, yeah, definitely.”
Yuki Tsunoda has managed to score only seven points for Red Bull so far in eight races. While his performances have been an improvement over his predecessor Liam Lawson, Tsunoda’s extended adaptation period to the RB21 has prevented him from delivering the consistent results the team requires. Max Verstappen has scored 155 of the team’s 162 points, underlining the heavy reliance on the reigning champion.
Red Bull currently sits fourth in the constructors’ standings, primarily due to the lack of a second driver capable of consistently supporting Verstappen at the front. With Verstappen retiring from the Austrian GP following contact with Kimi Antonelli, the team was left without any points, marking the first time in four seasons that Red Bull ended a race weekend with a zero-point score.
Heading into the British GP, Red Bull arrives with an upgrade package and the urgent task of recovering from the setback in Austria. The team will be hoping for a turnaround in performance from both drivers to remain in contention in the championship battle.