Verstappen hopeful Red Bull upgrades will benefit Tsunoda

Verstappen: Red Bull now have set-up clarity

From the start of the season, one of Red Bull’s biggest limitations has been their poor simulator data. The team often find themselves starting the weekend with an ineffective baseline set-up, which forces the trackside engineers to make drastic changes after Friday Practice.

This is something Helmut Marko has mentioned previously, pointing towards this uncertainty as a significant problem.

When Yuki Tsunoda first joined Red Bull, one of his first observations was the major discrepancy between the simulator and the RB21’s behaviour on track. Whilst this obviously impacts Verstappen as well, relying on trial and error with set-up is always going to have a bigger effect on the second driver.

Because of this, Red Bull can be very pleased with their progress since the summer break. A series of upgrades in Monza and Baku appear to have accomplished two key objectives.

The first is self-explanatory – adding more downforce and overall performance to the RB21. That said, arguably the more important evolution has been the widening of the car’s operating window. Both Verstappen and Tsunoda are reporting a more compliant and predictable car.

Speaking to the media in Baku, Verstappen explained how team’s progress could help his teammate:

“I think throughout the season, we have been going a bit left and right with the setup. I feel like maybe we’re now starting to be a bit more stable with the behaviour of the car. And I hope that that will help both of the drivers.

“Because it’s not always easy to jump in the car when it’s a bit unpredictable, or not doing what you want. Then, with the field being so close, one or two tenths between us, you can be out in Q1 or Q2.

“It’s a very, very competitive field at the moment. So, hopefully, now the coming races, the car being in a more stable window will help both drivers.”

What this means for Tsunoda

Ultimately, Tsunoda has virtually no margin for error over the next three rounds. Even a single Q1 elimination or finish outside of the top 10 could be detrimental to his Red Bull future.

To safeguard his position at Milton Keynes, the Japanese driver needs to consistently finish in the points. He must also try and close the gap to Verstappen, which – assuming the RB21’s performance continues – should be enough to fight at the front.

Red Bull do not anticipate more weekends like Hungary, where Tsunoda was eliminated in Q1 despite being only a tenth behind Verstappen. This should give the Japanese driver a better chance to secure some much-needed results.

There is a recognition throughout the team that the #22 car’s season has been compromised by a variety of factors. This is partly why no final decisions for 2026 have been made – but it does not negate the need for Tsunoda to deliver.