Yuki Tsunoda Seeks to Narrow Experience Disparity with Max Verstappen

The newly-promoted Red Bull driver, Yuki Tsunoda, is on a mission to bridge the experience gap between himself and his team-mate, Max Verstappen. In an interview at Jeddah, Tsunoda expressed that the RB21 car is particularly challenging for drivers without prior experience, giving Verstappen a significant advantage.

Understanding the Car’s Operational Quirks

Tsunoda shared his confidence level is satisfactory given their early races, but he’s working diligently to comprehend the car’s intricacies as he’s yet to grasp half of it fully.

The Japanese driver has set achievable short-term objectives for himself, but he’s optimistic that if he gains the same level of confidence as Verstappen, he could challenge the four-time world champion.

Building a Solid Foundation and Waiting for Opportunities

Tsunoda acknowledged that he can’t outperform Verstappen immediately, so he’s focusing on establishing a strong foundation and waiting for moments when he’s in top form.

He emphasized that the key lies in experience as the car behaves differently at each track, making it challenging to predict its behavior. Verstappen seems to grasp this well, while Tsunoda is still learning.

Learning from the Past and Building Confidence

Tsunoda admitted he’s still learning after spending four years with Red Bull’s junior team. He confessed that he’s not yet fully comfortable driving the car, as he’s still rushing and lacks full control.

He observed that Verstappen builds his confidence differently throughout the week compared to himself, and he can feel more in the car than Tsunoda does. However, Tsunoda is determined to take his time, learn, and unlock the car’s potential to compete with Verstappen.