“The Red Bull suits my driving style”

Yuki Tsunoda was convinced, since his work in the simulator, that the Red Bull RB20 would suit him. Tuesday, during his first official test with the Milton Keynes team, he was able to get a more precise idea. After spending the day behind the wheel and completing 127 laps of the Abu Dhabi circuit, his feelings were confirmed, with a lot of satisfaction.

“You can physically feel why the RB20 fought for a world title this year, it’s a very different car to drive”explains the Japanese pilot. “We had a very proactive day and I’m very happy with it. I still have a lot to learn, but the team did a great job preparing for these tests. The atmosphere in the garage was very pleasant. “

“I feel that the car suits my driving style and I had no trouble adapting to it at all. Even on the long stints, I managed to be consistent and feel the limits, which is impossible to test if you don’t have confidence in the car I’m happier than ever, and making sure the team had the information they needed during each stint was what was needed. most important thing to do.”

Yuki Tsunoda still hopes to be able to influence Red Bull’s decision regarding the identity of Max Verstappen’s teammate in 2025, while the future of Sergio Pérez is more uncertain than ever. It remains to be seen on what horizon, while Liam Lawson’s name is always the first to come out if the Mexican driver is sidelined.

Technical feedback appreciated

In any case, the current VCARB driver was keen to demonstrate that he was capable of providing important technical feedback to the Red Bull engineers, even though this precise point, as well as his sometimes too hot temperament, had so far put a brake on the idea of ​​having him test the RB20. Performance director, Ben Waterhouse seems in any case to have been won over.

“It was the first time we had Yuki in the car, while Isack [Hadjar] drove the RB20 as a continuation of his EL1 last weekend”he emphasizes. “We checked all the boxes successfully on both cars, and both drivers were at a very high level to do exactly what was expected of them.”

“Yuki gave excellent feedback during the various tests carried out with the Pirelli 2025 tires, which gave us a valuable insight into the changes that will be introduced next year. Isack did an excellent job in completing all aero tests in the morning, before doing short and long stints to evaluate a whole series of subjects in the afternoon.”