Yuki Tsunoda recently shared his reflections on his first home race as a driver for Red Bull Racing. Despite feeling more confident behind the wheel, Tsunoda expressed “mixed feelings” after finishing outside the points in 12th place.
Speaking to the media after the race, Tsunoda remarked, “I’m happy with the race, in terms of my performance, but obviously, in terms of results, it’s quite tough, especially for my home Grand Prix. I was definitely expecting more, and you know, at least I wanted to finish in a point, so it’s mixed feelings.”
Addressing his growing familiarity with the RB21 and the challenge of closing the gap between himself and teammate Verstappen, the 24-year-old commented, “The 53, 54 laps I got in this race was the most laps I had in this car. Every lap I was learning, and finally, I got decent laps in the car, and I definitely feel more confidence in the car. I just feel overall controlled more towards the end of the race. I’m happy considering the amount of time I had, but because of [it being my] home Grand Prix, I just wanted to finish in the points. I just have to build the pace. It’s fortunate that there’s Max that I can learn from, so I just keep doing what I’m doing. I’m excited for Bahrain actually.”
His teammate Max Verstappen claimed victory at Suzuka, with McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri completing the podium in second and third places, respectively.
Tsunoda was promoted to Red Bull after just two races in the 2025 season, replacing rookie Liam Lawson, who shifted to Racing Bulls. As Tsunoda looks ahead to the upcoming Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix, he is keen on making significant progress with the RB21.
The performance at Suzuka highlighted areas for improvement as Yuki Tsunoda continues to adapt to his new role. With the Bahrain Grand Prix on the horizon, Tsunoda is determined to build on his experience and strive for better results, maintaining hope for a strong showing in the forthcoming races.
