“We change a lot of things”: Yuki Tsunoda hoping to gain an advantage in the F1 US GP after a disappointing sprint race

Yuki Tsunoda remains hopeful of scoring points and gaining an advantage at the 2024 US Grand Prix. Speaking to media, including Sportskeeda, after qualifying, the VCARB driver considered his ability to keep one of the Haas cars behind him a positive result, despite the challenges. Tsunoda qualified 11th on the grid, aided by a tow from his teammate Liam Lawson, but still fell short of making it into Q3.

Tsunoda had an eventful qualifying session, with his initial lap time in Q1 being deleted, forcing him to make another attempt to escape the knockout zone. In Q2, despite the tow from Lawson, he couldn’t progress further.

Tsunoda mentioned that various setup changes were made between the sprint qualifying, sprint race, and the main qualifying, but while they were beneficial, he wasn’t convinced they made a substantial difference in performance.

Recognizing the pace of their rivals, particularly Haas, Tsunoda remains optimistic about making gains during the race and securing valuable points. His strong showing in FP1, sprint qualifying, and the sprint race has given him confidence going into the main race.

Asked by Sportskeeda if he was confident of his race pace for Sunday, Yuki Tsunoda said:

“We changed a lot of things. Today's race pace wasn't that good. But yeah, we changed a lot of things and hopefully that will give us a slightly better advantage for tomorrow. Butt I don't think I'm able to gain as much as, for example, Haas. I'm still probably faster, but anything can happen and hopefully I can gain a position in start and let the music do it here.”

Explaining the changes made to the car, he added:

“I think we at least changed a lot of things today between the sprint qualifying, race [sprint] and qualifying. I'm not sure it got better or not but I think also different across the car as well with the setup and I think we learned something at least it's a problem. I mean, anyway, we can't change anything into the race, but at least for the future. And hopefully I don't have to spend as much as that in the race and score points.”

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Yuki Tsunoda feels the need to step up as a team leader at VCARB

Yuki Tsunoda has expressed the importance of becoming a more complete driver and stepping up as a team leader at VCARB. Despite the challenge of working with four different teammates over the past four seasons, the Japanese driver remains mentally resilient and unfazed by the competition with his counterparts in the neighboring garage.

Tsunoda’s growth has been under scrutiny, but he feels ready to take on greater responsibilities within the team. His ability to adapt to various teammates and situations has strengthened his confidence, especially as he looks to develop his leadership role.

Adding to the speculation surrounding his future, reports suggest that Honda has requested Red Bull to give Tsunoda a test in the RB20. This move, if it materializes, could offer Tsunoda a valuable opportunity to showcase his potential in a top-tier car and help further his ambitions within the Red Bull family. While there is no official confirmation yet, the potential test hints at Tsunoda’s rising stock and the interest from Honda in advancing his career.

Asked if the different teammates have changed his mentality and how he approached it, Yuki Tsunoda said:

“Same, same, but yeah, pretty much the same. But I think I need to also step up as a driver, as a more complete driver and being more responsible leadership and am still working on it.”

Yuki Tsunoda has contributed 22 points to VCARB’s current total of 34 points, making him a key driver for the Faenza-based team. However, with Haas scoring points during the sprint race earlier in the day, both teams are now tied for sixth place in the constructors’ championship. This has heightened the pressure on both the Japanese driver and his New Zealander teammate to maximize their performance in the upcoming race.

The competition with Haas, an American-based team, adds an extra layer of urgency for VCARB to deliver a strong result. With the battle for sixth place in the championship intensifying, both teams will be pushing to gain an edge in the final standings. Tsunoda’s role is critical in helping his team outscore Haas and solidify their position as the season heads toward its final stages.