Why Tsunoda can't match teammate Verstappen? In his own words

While Liam Lawson lasted only two races in the second Red Bull seat earlier this season, 25-year-old Tsunoda has now endured eight Grands Prix in the RB21, with little to show in comparison to Verstappen’s dominance. Over the British Grand Prix weekend, the Japanese driver faced tough questions and gave an honest account of his ongoing struggles.

When asked whether it simply takes longer for a second Red Bull driver to adapt to the car and match Verstappen, Tsunoda replied: “It depends on the driver, but so far, I haven't seen anyone who’s been able to adapt to the car immediately. That seems to be a fact. At least on short runs, I feel like I’m heading in the right direction.

"I missed out on Q1 in Austria, but the gap was very small. I also know there are still some upgrades to come this year compared to what Max has, so once I get the full package, I’m confident I can reach the level they expect. That’s what I’m working on.

"The long runs are where I’m still struggling. I’ve identified some driving styles to try, things I’ve never done before in my Formula 1 career. It’s a learning process. When the conditions change every session, I might take more time to adapt than I did at VCARB, where I could push flat-out from the first lap.

"With Red Bull, I have to build up more gradually. I don’t think that’s the wrong approach, but it takes time. I don’t know if it’ll take a whole season, but what matters is that I’m making progress," the Japanese driver told F1 reporters during the British Grand Prix weekend.

Tsunoda’s optimism has been supported, at least publicly, by Red Bull management. Dr Helmut Marko has said on several occasions that Tsunoda’s seat is not under threat this year, and the 24-year-old acknowledged that this gives him some confidence.

“Yes, definitely better than hearing he might replace me in two races. But both Helmut and Christian have been very supportive. Helmut wasn’t happy with my race in Austria, but he’s still backing me and helping me improve. He believes in my talent and speed. I just have to prove that on track,” he said.

“Helmut is very direct. If I have a bad race, he tells me exactly what went wrong. That kind of pressure can bring out performance I didn’t know I had. That’s been his way since I was a junior, and I really appreciate the support I’m getting.”

External criticism has been harsher. McLaren CEO Zak Brown suggested this weekend that without Verstappen, Red Bull would be behind Racing Bulls in the pecking order. That stung, but Tsunoda didn’t fully deny it.

“Well, honestly, it might be true that without Max, Red Bull would be behind. But I wasn’t involved in the pre-season testing, so I can’t judge that completely. VCARB has definitely been performing well this year. I showed strong results in the first two races. If things had gone better in Australia and China, I probably would have scored more points.

“It’s great to see them doing well, but now I’m fully focused on Red Bull. It’s a car you can make work, but I need more time to understand it and build confidence. I’m working closely with my engineer, trying to put everything together. That’s my goal.”

When asked whether he felt fully supported within what many describe as a "one-car team", Tsunoda was clear: “Definitely, yes. I really feel the support, now more than ever, from Christian and Helmut. I even went to the south of the UK with a Red Bull Racing physio to reset myself. That came from them.

"They wanted me to clear my head, get some fresh air, and that helped me get back into a good rhythm. They’ve also let me try some new things I haven’t done before. They’re giving me more freedom than I expected, and I really appreciate that," added Tsunoda.

Despite Red Bull’s public backing, the pressure is mounting. The performance gap to Verstappen remains enormous, and history hasn’t been kind to those who can’t deliver in Red Bull’s second car. Tsunoda’s honesty is refreshing, but if the results don’t follow soon, he could be next in line for the Red Bull ejector seat.

Finally, a lesson on how words come back to haunt one. In January this year, after he was overlooked by Red Bull in favour of Lawson for the second seat in the senior team, Tsunoda wished for one session as Verstappen's teammate: “One chance, even if it’s only one race, I’d still cherish that. One session with him. I would take it with both hands.

“I dare say that too, because I have that self-confidence now. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a fast driver, of course. This year he has impressed many people, including me. But I can fight him.

“I think I can do better than Red Bull thinks. So even if I only get one chance, I could prove what I can do. I would definitely do better than Checo. I could help them with the F1 constructors’ championship," Tsunoda said at the time. How wrong he was!