Helmut Marko gives his verdict on Yuki Tsunoda's Red Bull debut

Yuki Tsunoda was rushed into the Red Bull team ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix to help the team cut down on losses caused by Liam Lawson's debut in the initial phase of the season. However, the Japanese driver finished 12th in his Red Bull debut, leading to a strong verdict by the team's senior figure, Helmut Marko.

The 24-year-old got under the wings of Red Bull in 2019 and joined the F1 stable in 2021. He then spent five years with the Faenza-based outfit, eluding for his drive at the senior team.

However, his best chance for joining the Milton Keynes-based squad was snubbed by Liam Lawson after he made a wild card entry in the second driver scene. The New Zealander started the 2025 season with Red Bull but was demoted to the junior outfit merely two races later as he was unable to score any points.

This gave Yuki Tsunoda his chance to shine in front of his home crowd with the Red Bull outfit. He began the weekend with a strong pace, which continued till Q1 as he stayed in close approximation to Max Verstappen.

But disaster struck in Q2, where he qualified 15th and started the Japanese Grand Prix in 14th place (due to Carlos Sainz receiving a three-place grid penalty). With him starting so low in the grid and the Suzuka Circuit favoring the lead car as the dirty air effect is amplified around the track, he finished a dismal 12th.

Reflecting on his pointless outing, Helmut Marko said during the F1 post-race show:

"I mean he lost out by qualifying; he made a mistake in turn 1, but in all the other sessions, he was pretty near- two to three tenths [of a second] to Max [Verstappen]. So, that's what we are looking for."

Yuki Tsunoda matched Liam Lawson's best finish in a Red Bull at the Japanese Grand Prix.

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Yuki Tsunoda is happy with his performance at his home race

Yuki Tsunoda at the F1 Grand Prix Of Japan with the Red Bull RB21 - Source: Getty

Yuki Tsunoda merely had a week of testing in the simulator before making his Grand Prix weekend debut for the senior team. Moreover, his running was curtailed due to several red flags during the weekend caused by crashes and grass fires.

Content with his initial performance, Tsunoda said in the post-race interview:

'Yeah, I am happy with my performance in terms of pace. It's my home race, and I wanted to finish in the points, so disappointing. These 53 laps in this car are the first laps, that I have. I definitely feel more confidence in the car... I am happy considering the time I had [in the car]. Fortunately it's Max [Verstappen], and there is a lot I can learn from him."

With the first race of the triple header done and dusted, the F1 circus will move over to the Bahrain International Circuit for the next race of the season.