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[Wouter]

I hope Yuki does himself a good service today - this is as close to a chance as he will be getting.

I think he would thrive (or die_ on a 1+1 deal with the Red Bull team - what has either party got to lose?

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Yuki has already spent a day in Milton Keynes driving the RB20 in the simulator and he was absolutely lyrical!
The car did exactly what he wanted it to do. Throttle, braking, fast through corners.
He likes a pointy car and the VCARB01 is not that at all. Yuki has the same demands on the car as Max.
Let him try it for a year next to Max. If it doesn't go well then Liam has an extra year of experience in the meantime.
He can also adapt to a car very quickly, as we have often seen, but is he as fast as Yuki?

The RBR clothing suits him very well!

[HPD]

Unfortunately, Yuki was not given the opportunity to do a fast lap in the Red Bull..

“The Abu Dhabi post season test has been so fun today, it’s the first time in the past four years that I have driven a different car,” Tsunoda said. “You can physically feel why the RB20 has been fighting for a championship this year, it feels like a very different car to drive.

“We have had a very proactive day today so I am really happy with that. There is still a lot of learning that I have to do but the team have done a great job of preparing such a great run today, it’s been such an enjoyable atmosphere in the garage.

“I feel like the car suits my driving style and I haven’t struggled much at all to adapt, even on the long runs I have been able to run consistently today and was able to feel the limitations of the car which if you don’t have confidence in the car you are unable to test. I am happy more than ever at the moment and making sure that the team have the information that they require from each run is the most important thing to get out of today.”

[Wouter]

Unfortunately, Yuki was not given the opportunity to do a fast lap in the Red Bull..

“The Abu Dhabi post season test has been so fun today, it’s the first time in the past four years that I have driven a different car,” Tsunoda said. “You can physically feel why the RB20 has been fighting for a championship this year, it feels like a very different car to drive.

“We have had a very proactive day today so I am really happy with that. There is still a lot of learning that I have to do but the team have done a great job of preparing such a great run today, it’s been such an enjoyable atmosphere in the garage.

“I feel like the car suits my driving style and I haven’t struggled much at all to adapt, even on the long runs I have been able to run consistently today and was able to feel the limitations of the car which if you don’t have confidence in the car you are unable to test. I am happy more than ever at the moment and making sure that the team have the information that they require from each run is the most important thing to get out of today.”

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Thanx for posting!

[Wouter]

Unfortunately, Yuki was not given the opportunity to do a fast lap in the Red Bull..

“The Abu Dhabi post season test has been so fun today, it’s the first time in the past four years that I have driven a different car,” Tsunoda said. “You can physically feel why the RB20 has been fighting for a championship this year, it feels like a very different car to drive.

“We have had a very proactive day today so I am really happy with that. There is still a lot of learning that I have to do but the team have done a great job of preparing such a great run today, it’s been such an enjoyable atmosphere in the garage.

“I feel like the car suits my driving style and I haven’t struggled much at all to adapt, even on the long runs I have been able to run consistently today and was able to feel the limitations of the car which if you don’t have confidence in the car you are unable to test. I am happy more than ever at the moment and making sure that the team have the information that they require from each run is the most important thing to get out of today.”

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Thanx for posting!

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More from Motorsport:

It was interesting that head of performance Ben Waterhouse said afterwards that he had been impressed with how the 24-year-old [Yuki] operated.

"We had Yuki in our car for the first time and Isack [Hadjar] driving RB20 again following his recent outing in FP1 at the race weekend," he explained.

"We successfully completed the priority test items on both cars with both drivers performing to a very high level and delivering exactly
what we anticipated from them.

"Yuki provided excellent feedback on the various tests performed on the 2025 Pirelli tyres offering valuable insight on the tyre changes Pirelli will introduce for next year, while Isack did a great job and successfully completed all the procedural aero tests in the morning before performing both long and short runs evaluating a range of test items in the afternoon."

[Wouter]

Honda back Tsunoda in Red Bull driver talks

December 11, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang

Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson continue to await Red Bull’s call on who will become Max Verstappen’s next teammate. In the aftermath of Tsunoda’s post-season test with Red Bull, Honda have voiced their support for the Japanese driver.
Tsunoda on the agenda in Honda and Red Bull talks

It is no secret that Honda have been instrumental to Yuki Tsunoda’s path to Formula 1.

The Japanese manufacturer are the perhaps 24-year-old’s most consistent support, showing tremendous faith in his abilities.

With Honda power units playing an integral role to Red Bull’s Championship success, their considerations are relevant.

Tsunoda’s post-season Red Bull test was heavily influenced by Honda, who called for the VCARB driver to have an opportunity in the RB20.

Of course, it would be a stretch to suggest that Honda play a decisive role in Red Bull’s driver pairing.

Christian Horner ultimately has the final say on whether Tsunoda or Lawson are promoted.

Still, Honda’s outlook is still relevant, both internally and externally,


“Various discussions” over Tsunoda in the background

Honda Racing’s President, Koji Watanabe, has discussed Red Bull’s driver situation:

“I returned to Japan from Abu Dhabi yesterday afternoon,” as-web.jp quotes him as saying.

“And on Saturday, I had various discussions with Christian Horner about the drivers for next season and beyond.

“As I always say, the team has the right to decide on the driver – so our opinion is merely for reference.

“But from the HRC side, we believe that Tsunoda has the ability to be promoted to Red Bull and should be one of the candidates.

“I think what we could do is give him an opportunity to show his abilities to the world.

“So I asked for him to participate in this test, and we were able to make it happen…

“He [Tsunoda] very clearly analysed the differences between the RB [VCARB] and Red Bull car – and has given the team very useful advice and comments on that basis.

“I have confirmed from the report that Tsunoda himself is very satisfied.”

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https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsport ... ver-talks/

[Wouter]

Jonathan Noble
Kan Namekawa
Dec 16, 2024, 10:41 AM

Speaking at the Honda Racing season finale event, Tsunoda said: “I heard a lot about how impressed they were, particularly with my feedback.

“This came not only from the trackside engineers but also from the engineers supporting remotely from Red Bull’s factory in Milton Keynes. They mentioned how impressed they were with my input.
Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing RB20

“That area was a key target for me. I believe Red Bull already understands that my speed isn’t much of an issue. Instead, what they’re more focused on is things like my feedback, my behaviour within the team, and how I conduct myself in the car. They probably saw those areas as the biggest unknowns.

“So while keeping that in mind, I continued to provide feedback as I always have, aiming to communicate as thoroughly and with as much detail as possible.”

While Tsunoda found some differences in Red Bull's approach compared to the RB team that he has raced for, he said the biggest contrast was the depth of technical explanation that he was asked to provide.

“Even though the two teams are quite different, there are some similarities, particularly in the positive atmosphere,” he said.

“Our team feels very Italian – friendly with lots of physical gestures and interactions. Meanwhile, Red Bull also has a very energetic vibe, almost like being in a pub.

“If I were to give one example regarding the engineering process, Red Bull digs deeper into every comment I make. They don’t miss anything I mention, asking very detailed follow-up questions to explore even more specifics.

“While they have this energetic image when it comes to engineering and the car, they’re incredibly thorough and detail-oriented. In a way, I think this precision aligns with the attention to detail often associated with Japanese people.

“I also felt a strong energy where everyone freely shares and exchanges comments without hesitation. That’s not to say our team doesn’t have that, but I think it’s an area where the two teams differ slightly.”

Tsunoda admits he is not the favourite for the Red Bull seat, but says it would be a dream for him if it could happen.

He added: “I think the chances are 50-50. Of course, I’d be happiest if I could drive for Red Bull, but I’m incredibly grateful for all the support I’m receiving from everyone in this current situation.

“Regardless of which team I’m with, what I need to do remains the same. It’s not just about Red Bull. For all we know, VCARB might surpass them in development. It’s not like it absolutely has to be Red Bull.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I just want to perform well and score points. Standing on the podium at Suzuka would be the ultimate dream. But, to achieve that, I want to help build a better car and a better team someday.

“Until that time comes, I hope everyone can be patient.”

[Wouter]

Helmut Marko today in Speedweek (German). Translated by DeepL:

I'm sure that we can expect a close battle at the top next year. That's normal in the last year of a regulation period. The field moves closer together. Because it is customary in Formula 1 to copy the successful concepts. And the longer the regulations remain stable, the more similar the cars become. This automatically increases the power density.

We will give it our all again next year. There will be some changes in the team, because there have been some departures.
And as we have the fastest and best driver in the field in Max, it is also obvious that we should cater to his preferences when it comes to the car's handling characteristics during development. I am sure that as long as we provide him with a competitive car, he will stay with Red Bull Racing.

We will be announcing news on the driver pairing for next year in the next few days. There's a lot of speculation about this,
including rumours about possible transfer fees, which are complete nonsense.

Strong young talent

Yuki Tsunoda was allowed out on track in the RB20 during post-season testing and the team was happy with his technical feedback. In this respect, he is far better than he is rumoured to be. He is just one of many talents we have in our ranks. We are also very well positioned in the junior classes. In Nikola Tsolov, for example, we have a title contender in Formula 3, and we are also strongly represented in the new Eurocup. In addition, we are also sending promising talent onto the track in the English Formula 4 with the Hitech GP Team.

We can also expect a lot from the youngsters in Formula 1. It is pleasing that after a long period in which there were hardly any changes, several promising rookies can show what they are made of. Next year we have Gabriel Bortoleto in the field, who has won Formula 2, and Oliver Bearman and Kimi Antonelli are also moving up. And if we were to field a junior at Racing Bulls, that would mean four newcomers in the field, so we could already talk about a generational change.