“I Know I Can Beat Him” – Tsunoda on Learning from Verstappen
Yuki Tsunoda is confident that, once he fully understands the RB21, he’ll be capable of taking the fight to Max Verstappen.
Currently adapting to Red Bull’s complex 2025 car, Tsunoda has already shown promise, scoring his first points of the season at the Bahrain Grand Prix. While he admits there’s still a lot to learn, the Japanese driver believes that once he gets to grips with the machine, he can start aiming higher — even toward outperforming his World Champion teammate.
“This is the first time I’m driving a completely different car — I’d only ever raced for VCARB over the past four years,” Tsunoda explained during the Saudi Arabian GP weekend. “It’s a new experience, but I’m confident that once I unlock the full potential of the car, I could challenge Max.”
He’s not expecting to leap ahead immediately but is focused on laying a solid foundation to build from: “I know I’m not ready to beat him just yet, so I’m working on creating a strong baseline and waiting for my moment.”
One of Tsunoda’s current priorities is understanding how to consistently extract maximum performance from the RB21. He’s also paying close attention to Verstappen’s approach — particularly how the Dutchman gradually builds pace over a weekend and delivers when it matters most.
“I’ve seen how Max gains confidence progressively, whereas I tend to build mine differently. He already has full trust in the car, so I just try to focus on my own process and get it right in qualifying,” Tsunoda said.
Despite some differences in setup preferences — Tsunoda has leaned toward higher downforce levels lately for added comfort — the two drivers share a surprisingly similar driving technique.
“Our driving styles, especially things like brake application and release, are actually quite alike,” he said. “I never really considered how similar we might be, but it’s closer than I expected.”
