SUZUKA, Japan — Yuki Tsunoda has achieved a significant milestone by ascending to Red Bull’s premier Formula 1 team. This advancement came after Liam Lawson was reassigned to Red Bull’s secondary team, Racing Bulls, following a slow start in the initial races of the season. However, now with Tsunoda’s promotion, he faces new challenges ahead. Joining a formidable cadre of Japanese drivers with varying F1 trajectories, Tsunoda will make his Red Bull Grand Prix debut this Sunday in Japan.
Facing the pressure of competing on home ground, Tsunoda bears the weight of expectation and the challenge of partnering alongside Max Verstappen, the four-time F1 champion. When asked about the guidance from Red Bull team head Christian Horner, Tsunoda explained in a BBC interview, “Stay as close as possible to Max; in certain situations, I might not be asked to give up my position even if I’m ahead.”
Now entering his fifth F1 season, Tsunoda needs to perform excellently to secure points for Red Bull. His top finish thus far was fourth in the Abu Dhabi race in 2021. Although his initial two Grand Prix events with Racing Bulls this season didn’t yield points, he did achieve a sixth-place finish in a sprint race in China recently. This weekend, Red Bull will be sporting a distinctive white paint scheme, commemorating its partnership with Honda, which powered Verstappen’s four consecutive titles. Red Bull will switch to Ford engines next year, as Honda will start powering Aston Martin.
This season represents Tsunoda’s prime opportunity to prove his worth if he is to maintain his position with Red Bull going forward. His success is paramount, considering Japan’s records in F1, which remain unclaimed — no Japanese driver has ever won an F1 race. Despite around 20 Japanese participants in the sport, only three podium finishes have been achieved, all in third place. Aguri Suzuki claimed the first one during the 1990 Japanese GP, Kamui Kobayashi mirrored this in 2012 for Sauber, and Takuma Sato took third in the 2004 U.S. Grand Prix. Moreover, Sato has twice won the Indianapolis 500.
This season has seen McLaren triumph in the opening races, with Lando Norris taking the win in Australia and Oscar Piastri claiming victory in China. The competition appears more competitive than ever. Norris currently tops the leaderboard with 44 points, followed by Verstappen with 36 and George Russell of Mercedes closely behind with 35. Oscar Piastri trails by just a point at 34.
Lewis Hamilton, now with Ferrari after leaving Mercedes, has managed only nine points so far. His best achievement was winning a sprint race in China, but he was disqualified from both that race’s primary event and the Australia race. Despite these setbacks, Hamilton, who has won five Japanese races, is determined, supported by Ferrari’s commitment to address past mistakes that led to both him and teammate Charles Leclerc’s disqualifications in China.