Why Yuki Tsunoda Isn't the Answer to Red Bull's Second Seat Problem

Red Bull’s ongoing second seat saga continues to be one of the team’s most glaring weaknesses—one that stands in stark contrast to the near-perfection of Max Verstappen’s reign. Since Ricciardo’s departure, the Milton Keynes-based outfit has yet to find a consistent and competitive driver to slot into the role of Verstappen’s wingman.

While Yuki Tsunoda’s promotion to the second Red Bull seat was seen as an exciting gamble, results so far have done little to ease the pressure. As former McLaren mechanic and current F1 expert Marc Priestley put it, the situation remains largely unchanged from the Sergio Perez and Liam Lawson eras. Despite flashes of speed and tenacity, Tsunoda hasn’t yet proven to be the solution Red Bull desperately needs.

Priestley notes that Red Bull’s trademark impatience doesn’t help either. “You’ve got to give some time… but that’s not what Red Bull do,” he explained. Lawson was dropped after just a handful of races despite impressing many, and now Tsunoda finds himself under the same microscope. Although there are “tiny signs of improvement,” they may not be enough to buy him the runway he needs.

Tsunoda’s inconsistency in qualifying further complicates matters. At the Saudi Arabian GP weekend, he was a full second slower than his teammate—an unacceptable gap at this level of the sport. That underwhelming qualifying performance left him vulnerable in the midfield, where chaos is more frequent and overtaking opportunities fewer.