Max Verstappen has defended his Red Bull teammate Yuki Tsunoda, stating he is “not a pancake,” following Tsunoda`s last-place finish in Spanish Grand Prix Qualifying.
Red Bull has consistently faced challenges in finding a driver who can reliably perform at a level close to four-time world champion Max Verstappen. Previous teammates like Sergio Perez, whose form declined significantly last season, as well as Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon before him, all struggled to match the Dutchman`s pace while at Red Bull, although they later found success elsewhere in the sport.
While Yuki Tsunoda has shown flashes of promise, his performance has been inconsistent this season, with only seven points scored in six races. In stark contrast, Verstappen has secured two victories and two additional podium finishes during the same period.
When asked about Tsunoda`s difficult qualifying session in Barcelona on Saturday, Verstappen commented to Dutch journalists, “Yuki isn`t a pancake. This situation [with the second Red Bull driver] has been ongoing for a long time. Perhaps that`s telling… you can draw your own conclusions.”
The precise meaning behind Verstappen`s remarks remains somewhat open to interpretation; they could be seen as highlighting his own exceptional talent, suggesting that the Red Bull car might be challenging for other drivers to master, or a combination of both perspectives.
Verstappen is widely regarded as arguably the best driver currently in Formula 1, known for his unique ability to handle various car characteristics and setups that some other highly-rated drivers find perplexing.
Tsunoda Describes “Pretty Tough Situation”
Tsunoda appeared visibly disappointed after his early exit from qualifying, admitting he initially felt satisfied with his lap before discovering it was only sufficient for the very back of the grid.
The 25-year-old`s Q1 lap time was six-tenths slower than his teammate Verstappen`s, with Verstappen ultimately progressing to qualify third.
Speaking about his performance issues, the Japanese driver told Sky Sports F1: “Suddenly compared to any other Grand Prix I lost performance quite significantly. Since FP1, the amount of grip I had was very low. Something strange was happening.”
“We tried our best to cure the issue but, to be honest, whatever we did, we made a better balance but it was not, overall, a step forward. 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.”
During Q1, Tsunoda had asked his team to check the car`s floor after he went over a kerb. However, immediately after the session, he was unsure if any potential damage played a role in his struggles.
He added: “It`s hard to tell. I will have to see if there`s damage or not. I don`t think our ride [height] was crazy. It was still an acceptable level. From lap 1 [of the weekend], there was no pace, so it wasn`t like I suddenly lost performance. I`m currently struggling.”
In Red Bull`s official post-session press release, team principal Christian Horner acknowledged that Tsunoda`s difficulties in Spain were “difficult to understand.”
“Yuki has struggled all weekend,” Horner stated.
“We went up a little on the downforce to try and help him but it`s difficult to understand, we will need to have a look at it,” he concluded.
