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Tsunoda Opens Up About Feeling Like a Rookie in Zandvoort Comeback
Highlights
- Yuki Tsunoda returned to Racing Bulls as reserve driver at Dutch GP.
- Tsunoda finished 17th in Free Practice 1 under damp conditions.
- He placed 12th in Sprint Qualifying, 0.009 seconds behind teammate Lawson.
- Adjusting to new 2026 car proved challenging due to brake and tire changes.
- Racing Bulls aims to focus Tsunoda on Qualifying and main Grand Prix.
- Team has scored points in seven consecutive rounds this season.
Yuki Tsunoda returns to Racing Bulls at the Dutch Grand Prix weekend and admits he feels like a rookie after day one at Zandvoort.
Called up after Isack Hadjar’s wrist injury, Tsunoda steps in as reserve while Liam Lawson races for Red Bull. The late switch compresses his preparation.
A damp FP1 yields 17th as he learns the 2026 package. He then reaches 12th in Sprint Qualifying, only 0.009s behind Lawson, which exceeds his wet-weather expectations.
Tsunoda qualifies 12th in Sprint, just 0.009s shy of Lawson.
He highlights the step change in braking demands and the need to preserve two tyre sets, underlining a fresh learning curve with the 2026 car and procedures.
The rain, he suggests, compresses performance spreads and masks unfamiliarity. Despite that, he calls the day tricky but broadly encouraging.
Arvid Lindblad beats him to a Sprint P10 grid slot. CEO Peter Bayer looks to reduce pressure, focusing Tsunoda’s workload on Qualifying and the Grand Prix.
Racing Bulls shifts Tsunoda’s focus to Qualifying and the Grand Prix to accelerate adaptation.
Familiar faces help. Many engineers and crew are from his 2021–2025 stint, easing communication and fast-tracking setup understanding.
That stability matters given Racing Bulls’ seven-round points streak. Tsunoda aims to contribute once he unlocks more confidence and consistency.
Tsunoda notes widespread struggles with balance and brake feel as teams adapt to reduced downforce versus last year. The deficit magnifies any inconsistency.
Zandvoort’s narrow margins also demand restraint. He stresses measured risk into the Zandvoort runoff zones while he builds rhythm through each run.
“I felt like a rookie today, but the pace was encouraging.” — Yuki Tsunoda
The immediate target is a cleaner Saturday. He prioritizes stepwise gains in execution to feed data into setup choices for both Qualifying and the race.
Visual Summary
“It Felt Like My First Day”
— Yuki Tsunoda
Yuki’s Return: Learning in the Storm
Rookie nerves. New car. Wet Zandvoort. Tsunoda battles rain & a steep comeback curve.
Just 0.009s off his teammate.
Chasing Racing Bulls’ top-10 streak.
Just 0.009s off his teammate.
Chasing Racing Bulls’ top-10 streak.
Next goal: Qualifying breakthrough
Returning “home”, Yuki finds support from familiar faces. With rain making everyone a rookie in the new car, he’s savoring the challenge.
Ready to learn — and push — session by session.
Ready to learn — and push — session by session.
Daniel Miller reports on Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends with race-day analysis, team-radio highlights, and point-standings updates. He explains power-unit upgrades, aerodynamic developments, and driver rivalries in straightforward, SEO-friendly language for a global F1 audience.
