Last weekend’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix witnessed a significant shift in the drivers’ championship landscape as Lando Norris lost his lead for the first time this season, following a dramatic crash during the top-10 shootout in qualifying. This incident inadvertently paved the way for his title rival, Max Verstappen, to seize a golden opportunity. A snap oversteer caused Norris’s MCL39 to collide with the barriers, leading to a red flag that relegated him to a disappointing P10 for the race on Sunday. Consequently, the red flag disrupted other drivers, leaving them without a crucial run in the tense closing moments of qualifying.
In the aftermath, Red Bull took advantage of the unfolding drama by implementing an ambitious two-run strategy for Verstappen following the resumption of the session at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit. With a little over eight minutes remaining, the team aimed to recover from their unfortunate performance in the Bahrain Grand Prix. Ultimately, the Dutchman executed a flawless lap, clinching pole position by a mere 0.01 seconds ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri. However, the success of this endeavor cannot solely be attributed to Verstappen; critical assistance came from his teammate, Yuki Tsunoda, whose well-timed actions played a significant role in Verstappen clocking the fastest lap of the session.
Prominent F1 journalist Roberto Chinchero highlighted Tsunoda’s crucial contribution, noting how the young Japanese driver provided Verstappen with an invaluable slipstream on the main straight immediately after completing his own lap. This meticulously timed maneuver allowed Verstappen to gain essential tenths of a second in the first sector, setting the tone for his decisive lap. Chinchero emphasized, “The plan of the team to ask Yuki to wait [for] Max exactly in that moment was a crucial help because he gained an advantage of one-tenth on Piastri, and that was key for pole position.”
The impact of Tsunoda’s assistance became evident as Verstappen made a decisive move to secure pole position, with his fastest first sector time proving pivotal for snatching the top spot from Piastri. Despite the Australian’s best efforts to recover lost time in the subsequent sectors, Verstappen’s early advantage, aided by Tsunoda’s slipstream, confirmed the Dutchman’s dominance in qualifying. It goes without saying that Verstappen would undoubtedly express his gratitude towards Tsunoda, as this timely assistance was instrumental in achieving pole position.
Yet, things did not unfold as planned for Tsunoda on his own flying lap. Although he reached Q3 for the second consecutive race weekend, the #22 driver could only secure an eighth-place start from the fourth row. In the media pen afterward, Tsunoda reflected on his performance, expressing disappointment that he could not deliver a stronger lap to be closer to Verstappen at the front. However, Red Bull seemed to appreciate Tsunoda’s selflessness, given that his remarkable contribution significantly bolstered Verstappen’s prospects for the upcoming race.
If Tsunoda can maintain this momentum of supporting Verstappen’s title defense while consistently scoring points, he stands a strong chance of solidifying his position at Red Bull for the long term. With his remarkable performance in Jeddah, Yuki Tsunoda has not only reinforced his role as a team player but has also showcased his potential to impact the championship significantly.
