Yuki Tsunoda, the Japanese driver currently competing for Red Bull Racing, has found renewed confidence through guidance from new team boss Laurent Mekies, aligning his approach with familiar Racing Bulls style set-ups. This shift has helped Tsunoda improve his recent performances, notably during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, marking a turning point in his 2024 Formula 1 campaign.
At the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Tsunoda achieved his finest weekend so far this season by reaching Q3 in a challenging qualifying session and finishing sixth in the race. Impressively, he finished ahead of rival Lando Norris, a key factor for Red Bull as they rely on Tsunoda to help Max Verstappen by weakening competitors’ points. This performance is building momentum for Tsunoda as he seeks to solidify his future in Formula 1.
Recent Performance Boost Marks New Direction for Tsunoda
Since the summer break, Tsunoda has scored points twice — ninth place at Zandvoort and sixth in Baku — a contrast to his earlier season where he earned points only three times. However, Monza proved to be a tougher challenge, reminding everyone that consistent progress is still needed.
Red Bull’s overall competitiveness has risen in recent races, with Tsunoda benefitting from a car matching the specifications used by Max Verstappen since Monza. Alongside improved machinery, the arrival of Laurent Mekies as team boss has been crucial. Mekies, familiar with Tsunoda from their shared time at Racing Bulls, has applied his understanding to help restore the Japanese driver’s confidence and driving style.
Laurent Mekies Revives Tsunoda’s Preferred Set-Ups
Tsunoda credits Mekies for helping revive techniques he used extensively during his Racing Bulls tenure, which he had nearly forgotten while adapting to Red Bull’s different car set-ups. Acknowledging Mekies’ influence, Tsunoda shared,
“Laurent has helped me with a lot of things. The set-up that I tried two races ago, for example, was the one that I used at almost every race at VCARB.”
Expanding on the collaboration, Tsunoda explained how Mekies communicated with the engineering team to reintroduce performance tweaks tailored to his driving style.
“Laurent told the engineering side ‘okay, Yuki was doing these kinds of things to add some performance on one of the axles or to drive it around certain corners’. When I tried those things in the Red Bull car, they actually still worked,”
he said.
“The feeling that I got from the car is much more familiar now, more what I used to have.”
This discovery illustrates Mekies’ role in blending driver preference with technical expertise, a balance that Tsunoda needed but hadn’t achieved on his own. Mekies’ background enables him to translate detailed driver feedback into engineering solutions better than his predecessor. The former team boss, Christian Horner, lacked this technical perspective, highlighting how Mekies’ arrival is a strategic advantage for Red Bull in maximizing every driver’s potential.
Tsunoda Embracing a Familiar Dynamic with Mekies
Tsunoda openly acknowledged how Mekies’ support has restored a feeling of familiarity and security reminiscent of his time at Racing Bulls. During a media day in Singapore, Tsunoda remarked,
“Without Laurent’s ideas, I wouldn’t have been able to come up with it myself. That’s what I appreciate. Also on the relationship side, it’s always been very good. It’s literally what I used to have at VCARB. It feels exactly the same, just the team logos are different now when I speak with him!”
This positive interpersonal connection is vital as Tsunoda looks to cement his place within Red Bull’s racing hierarchy. Despite Isack Hadjar remaining the leading candidate for promotion to Red Bull Racing in 2026, internal sources reveal that Tsunoda’s performances in the coming weeks are decisive for his future, particularly with seats at sister team Racing Bulls still uncertain.
Future Prospects and Upcoming Pressure Points
Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s senior advisor, has suggested the Mexican Grand Prix at the end of October could serve as a critical evaluation event, marking a potential turning point for Tsunoda’s career progression. With Mercedes just eighteen points ahead in the constructors’ championship, every point scored by drivers like Tsunoda has significant implications.
Confident yet pragmatic, Tsunoda emphasized his ongoing pursuit of improvement:
“I didn’t talk to Helmut, or anyone from Red Bull, after Baku, but for me the target is clear. The thing I have to do is quite clear. I’ve shown those things in one race so far, at least in one good race with P6. But as soon as I came here for the second half of the season, I think the Q3 performances are there and the points are there. It’s going in the right direction.”
He added,
“I’m at least showing that I’m able to improve myself compared to the first half of the season.”
This steady progress reveals Tsunoda’s determination to convert potential into consistent results, aiming to meet the high expectations at Red Bull.
Building Momentum Ahead of Singapore and Beyond
Tsunoda is keenly focused on maintaining his upward trajectory as the season progresses. Reflecting on Baku, he explained,
“My confidence and understanding of the car are getting better, I just need to put it all together. But I think it’s definitely going in the right direction. The feeling I got in Baku was different from most of the other races. Sometimes I was more dependent on luck or whatever, but I feel that in Baku I could get P6 without any luck or anything, that’s good.”
Looking ahead to the Singapore Grand Prix and the rest of the year, Tsunoda remains optimistic about his growth and impact within the team.
“I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing. I obviously want to show more, but I think those things will come naturally with my efforts,”
he stated, signaling his commitment to consistent performance improvement.
As Tsunoda strengthens his technical understanding and regains comfort with his car’s set-up, his synergy with Laurent Mekies may prove pivotal in determining his long-term place at Red Bull Racing. With the competition fierce and critical evaluation points on the horizon, the developments this season will likely shape his career trajectory in Formula 1.
