Very few things appear to be going Red Bull’s way at the moment. The once mighty team finds itself in turmoil, with its driver management and mechanical woes being criticized. But one person who has a golden opportunity ahead of him is Yuki Tsunoda.
Tsunoda, who was initially believed to be the better choice for Red Bull’s second seat but was snubbed in favor of Liam Lawson at the start of this season, joined the Milton Keynes-based outfit after just two races this year. The move happened as a result of Lawson’s failure to get close to Max Verstappen.
Lawson, admittedly, wasn’t the first to bite the dust. The likes of Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon, and Sergio Perez all lost their places at Red Bull because they couldn’t perform as well as Verstappen in their respective cars. But Tsunoda has looked exceedingly confident about doing what his predecessors couldn’t.
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The Japanese driver insisted that once he gets used to the machinery over at Red Bull, getting the better of Verstappen wouldn’t be a problem. “I’m trying to use that, and I know that if I unlock that area, I would be able to probably beat him,” he said per The Race.
Although it was a bold move to paint a target on the back of the reigning four-time world champion, Damon Hill found it commendable. The 1996 F1 champion took to Instagram to reshare a post with Tsunoda’s quote, and wrote, “Go for it Yuki.”
Damon Hill provides some words of encouragement for #YukiTsunoda, who sets his sight on #MaxVerstappen pic.twitter.com/LwJ5y4igPt
— Business F1 (@BusinessF158116) April 18, 2025
The 24-year-old surely has the blessing of Hill, who hasn’t shied away from criticizing Verstappen in the past because of the Dutchman’s ultra-aggressive style of driving. Still, it doesn’t take away what the 27-year-old can do with the car. Verstappen, with a strong car, is almost invincible, something he showcased in 2023 when he won 19 races in a single season.
But even with a sub-par mechanical package, the Hasselt-born can pull rabbits out of his hat. Last year, despite having the third-fastest car for around half the season, he managed to retain his world title.
So for Tsunoda, it will take a herculean effort to trump Verstappen. Even if the ex-Racing Bulls star can get used to the car and machinery at his new team, Verstappen will most likely have the upper hand, having been part of the Red Bull set-up since 2016.
