Yuki Tsunoda will compete at this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix with an older specification floor on his Red Bull RB21 after a significant crash during qualifying at the Imola race. The Japanese driver’s large accident at the Tamburello chicane on Saturday led to substantial damage, forcing his team to revert to a previous floor design and causing a delay in adopting the latest upgrades seen on Max Verstappen’s car.
Details Behind the Floor Downgrade and Technical Impact
During Q1 at Imola, Tsunoda lost control entering the fast Tamburello section and collided heavily with the barriers. While Tsunoda escaped unscathed, the damage to his vehicle was severe enough that Red Bull had to assemble a spare chassis equipped with a fresh power unit. As a result, Tsunoda will run the pre-Miami floor this weekend instead of the updated version Verstappen used in Miami and had delivered to Tsunoda by Imola. This difference marks the sole technical gap between Tsunoda’s and Verstappen’s cars in Monaco.
“In terms of package, to be honest I never ran the full new package yet, even Imola was a little bit different,” Tsunoda said. “I don’t think we’re going to have a full one [in Monaco], I just made a step back anyway, which is my fault.” —Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Driver
Tsunoda Reflects on Learning Curve and Set-Up Challenges
Despite recovering to finish 10th after starting from the pit lane at Imola, Tsunoda acknowledged that the crash highlighted his ongoing need to better understand the RB21’s characteristics, particularly how its set-up changes affect performance. Having joined the team mid-season without prior testing, he admitted the car’s responsiveness remains somewhat unfamiliar.
“Imola qualifying, it wouldn’t happen like that if I understand the car, to be honest,”
Tsunoda explained.
“In the VCARB, I don’t think I’ve had that kind of crash by myself since 2022. I was pushing too much, so it’s just lacking understanding of how the car is going to behave with each set-up.”
Tsunoda noted the Red Bull RB21 reacts more significantly to set-up adjustments than he anticipated and emphasized the importance of gradual experimentation to avoid further errors.
“It’s taking slightly more than expected. But as a group we have a good relationship between me and Woody [race engineer Richard Wood] and Cooke [performance engineer Richard Cooke] as well. From our side of the garage, we just keep learning every race.” —Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Driver
Monaco’s Unique Challenges and Tsunoda’s Approach to the Weekend
The upcoming race at Monaco poses additional difficulties due to its tight, bumpy street circuit and minimal runoff areas, which leave little margin for driver error. Tsunoda expressed confidence about building up pace steadily during the weekend while adapting to Monaco’s demanding layout.
“In terms of track, I quite like it, and I had good memories last two years,”
Tsunoda shared, while noting the RB21’s challenging behavior in Monaco.
“Apparently, the Red Bull car is a very bumpy car in Monaco and it’s not an easy car to drive, that’s what Max said.”
“So, I just need to build the confidence and hopefully I can make a good qualifying. You can’t just follow the same approach as Imola or other tracks where you have a bit of run-off, so I’m just going to build up the pace slowly.” —Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Driver
Technical Adaptations Made for Monaco Circuit
Red Bull has introduced specific modifications to the RB21 to meet Monaco’s unique demands. These include a higher-downforce rear wing, redesigned brake ducts to improve cooling, and adjustments to the front suspension to allow greater steering lock, essential for handling the circuit’s narrow hairpin turns. These upgrades aim to help both drivers tackle the challenging street course where precision and grip are critical.
Implications of Tsunoda’s Setback and Future Prospects
The rollback to an older floor specification places Tsunoda at a performance disadvantage compared to his teammate Verstappen, who will race with the newer upgrades. This hurdle compounds the challenge of mastering Monaco’s unforgiving circuit but allows Tsunoda to focus on consolidating his understanding of the RB21 under closer-to-familiar technical conditions. With continuing strong collaboration with his race engineers Richard Wood and Richard Cooke, Tsunoda is poised to gain valuable experience that could enhance his competitiveness in upcoming races.
