Yuki Tsunoda faced a frustrating weekend at the Spanish Grand Prix, qualifying last and finishing 13th after being lapped by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. Tsunoda’s struggles continued as he missed Q3 for the third straight race and managed only seven points since stepping into the seat for Liam Lawson at the third round of the season in Japan. Despite efforts by his team, Tsunoda reported significant loss of grip and difficulty in adapting his car’s balance throughout the race weekend.
Following qualifying, Tsunoda expressed his confusion over the loss of grip, stating,
“The lap I had in Q1 I was pretty happy with it, the confidence was there but the grip itself is not following at all. It’s a pretty tough situation.”
Reviewing Tsunoda’s performance compared to previous Red Bull team-mates
Though Tsunoda has outperformed his predecessor Liam Lawson by reaching Q3 in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Miami, he has yet to emerge as a genuine challenger to Verstappen’s dominance. Historically, Sergio Perez has offered strategic support for Verstappen during the 2021 and 2022 seasons, but no team-mate since Daniel Ricciardo’s departure in 2018 has posed a serious contest outside of those periods.
Sky Sports F1 analyst Karun Chandhok reflected on this prolonged issue, remarking,
“This is the seventh year we are having the same conversations. Seven years.”
He stressed the difficulty Red Bull faces in producing a second driver capable of consistently matching Verstappen’s outstanding results, comparing the situation to the post-Michael Schumacher era at Benetton, which led to years of limited success after Schumacher’s exit.
Chandhok warned of the risk if Verstappen were to leave Red Bull:
“If Max leaves, that whole operation will need to rethink the way they design their cars for other people.”
Questions surround Hadjar’s potential as Verstappen’s teammate
While Red Bull has not signaled that Tsunoda will be replaced soon, Verstappen has defended his teammate’s position by emphasizing the long-standing difficulty of finding a competitive second driver. Verstappen said,
“Yuki isn’t a pancake. This [with the 2nd Red Bull driver] has been going on for a long time,”
and added ambiguously,
“Maybe that’s a sign. Of what? That you can decide yourself.”
Verstappen is widely recognized as being uniquely capable of handling car setups that other top drivers often struggle with. He favors a sharp front end, which can lead to a loose rear, a handling characteristic that requires confidence to manage effectively and that many drivers find challenging.
In contrast, rookie Isack Hadjar has impressed during his campaign with Racing Bulls, finishing sixth and seventh in Monaco and Spain. Hadjar tested the 2024 Red Bull car last year, describing it as comfortable rather than difficult, and his aggressive driving style has drawn attention as possibly similar to Verstappen’s. Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft posed the question,
“There is one driver who Racing Bulls think has a very similar style to Max Verstappen. I don’t think he’s ready yet. But is Isaac Hadjar the answer to their problems?”
Hadjar’s alignment with Verstappen’s preferred driving style could give him an advantage in adapting to Red Bull’s car, which, according to team principal Christian Horner, has evolved mainly to suit Verstappen’s feedback. Horner acknowledged,
“Red Bull say because Sergio Perez was a bit reluctant in coming forward to give feedback last year, so therefore, the feedback was all Max’s, therefore, the car kind of went in a Max direction.”
Horner praised Hadjar’s rookie season, stating,
“I think he’s been the most outstanding rookie. He’s exceeded all of our expectations. He’s been fast, consistent, and constantly delivered. His future, if he keeps performing as he is, is very bright.”
Despite high hopes, Chandhok pointed out that Red Bull previously claimed Liam Lawson’s style was similar to Verstappen’s. Horner said Lawson
“doesn’t shy away from having a very positive front end in the car.”
Nevertheless, Lawson struggled to make a significant impact, and Hadjar has out-qualified him in seven attempts and earned five top-10 finishes compared to Lawson’s single top-10 spot.
Chandhok advised Hadjar to consider his options carefully, suggesting,
“If I was Hadjar I’d be trying to hang on to the Racing Bulls seat, then try and get myself a deal at Ferrari or Aston Martin for example.”
Meanwhile, 2016 F1 champion Nico Rosberg concurred with Chandhok on the value of patience for Hadjar. Rosberg said,
“If I was Hadjar, if ever the team started to mention (the possibility of a promotion to Red Bull), I would literally decline, decline as hard as you possibly can. He’s doing such a great job with Racing Bulls. He’s in a great position. Just flat decline and say, ‘no way!’.”
Exploring the difficulty drivers face as Verstappen’s teammates
Tsunoda is the fifth individual to partner Verstappen for Red Bull since Daniel Ricciardo chose to leave Red Bull at the end of 2018 for a lucrative offer from Renault. Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon, both promoted from Red Bull’s development pool, had short-lived stints lasting only 12 and 26 races before the team turned to Sergio Perez in 2021. Perez provided strong support during Red Bull’s championship-winning campaigns until car handling issues resurfaced for him in mid-2023.
Both Gasly and Albon have since demonstrated competitive form with other teams, and Perez could return to Formula 1 next season. This cycle raises persistent questions about whether Verstappen’s supremacy stems from his exceptional talent or from Red Bull’s car being built almost exclusively around his driving style.
The 2016 world champion Nico Rosberg captured the intense challenge, describing Verstappen as a “team-mate killer” and remarking,
“No one gets closer than six tenths, which in F1, is like a different category.”
Rosberg recognized Tsunoda’s talent but acknowledged the difficulty he faces:
“Poor Yuki, who’s a fantastic driver, is in that right now, and really struggling. It’s just so tough. He’s doing laps that feel good and yet he’s miles away. That’s such a tough situation to be in.”
Rosberg concluded,
“And that’s the only thing you can say about that, because all these guys are great drivers. It looks like he’s just on another level to everyone else.”
Christian Horner emphasized the need for patience with Tsunoda, noting,
“I think the only thing that we can do is give him time and support and try and get a set-up that he’s got confidence in. Driving these cars is all about confidence, and that’s what he needs to find. I think he’ll get there. He’s fast. He’s just got to piece it all together. We keep seeing flashes of performance. We just need to see him put it all together. I think he’s capable of that.”
Why Red Bull’s car poses unique challenges for drivers beyond Verstappen
Karun Chandhok suggested that the difficulties other drivers face adapting to Red Bull’s car are not typical within F1 and likened the situation to MotoGP, where certain bikes are tailored for one standout rider. He explained,
“I think if you were one of those top four or five drivers in F1, you would have a lot of doubts around being able to get in there and get on with the car straight away.”
Chandhok pointed out that in most F1 cases, drivers are adaptable, switching teams and styles effectively, citing Carlos Sainz’s multiple team changes and Oscar Piastri’s smooth transition to McLaren despite challenges elsewhere. This adaptability contrasts starkly with Red Bull’s more specialized car, which he views as an extreme case.
He compared Red Bull’s situation to the Benetton team of the 1990s and Ducati in MotoGP, where only certain riders could extract the bike’s full potential. Chandhok warned,
“I think it’s a bit of a risky move if any one of the top drivers went there, because the car does seem to be on a sort of extreme edge in terms of the requirements of a driver.”
Looking ahead as the 2025 Formula 1 season enters a pause
The current European triple-header marks a demanding phase in the 2025 Formula 1 season, which now pauses until the Canadian Grand Prix from June 13-15. This break offers teams an opportunity to reflect on performances, including Red Bull’s ongoing search for a teammate capable of keeping pace with Max Verstappen.
Isack Hadjar’s promising rookie performances at Racing Bulls, combined with Verstappen’s unique abilities and the distinctive demands of Red Bull’s car, continue to shape the debate about who could emerge as a true contender alongside the Dutch driver. Whether Hadjar will rise to that challenge, or whether the ideal teammate lies elsewhere, remains a pivotal storyline for the remainder of the season and beyond.
