03/08/2025 07:20
Yuki Tsunoda has highlighted that he is "closer" to Max Verstappen
at the Hungaroring, despite suffering yet another Q1 elimination in
his Red Bull. It is the fourth time the Japanese driver has failed
to navigate safely through the first part of qualifying in his RB21
over the past eight rounds. As such, he will line up for the
Hungarian Grand Prix in P16. However, there is a silver lining to
the latest dark cloud hanging gloomily over Tsunoda's disappointing
season. Throughout the weekend on the outskirts of Budapest, he has
so far been closer to Verstappen, and sometimes ahead of his
decorated team-mate, who qualified eighth quickest. Nonetheless,
Red Bull has struggled through the round, unable to make good on
one of the Milton Keynes squad's usual Friday night turnarounds and
consigning its drivers to disappointing grid positions. When asked
how difficult his car has been to drive, Tsunoda quickly pivoted
away from explaining the troubling lack of grip to address a
"positive" aspect of his weekend. "I don't know," the 25-year-old
told media, including RacingNews365 . "The car balance itself is
not that bad, but just the grip level that the car is providing is
very, very low. It's not the level that we normally feel.
"Throughout the week, I think there was a positive from our side of
the garage that we are consistently closer to Max. Some sessions,
we were ahead. "So, something to take a positive [from], but at the
same time, it is not easy for our team." Something to be 'proud' of
Tsunoda elaborated on the progress he has shown in Hungary,
acknowledging he is "proud" of having closed the gap to the
four-time F1 drivers' champion on the other side of the Red Bull
garage. He pointed out that Verstappen was himself almost knocked
out of qualifying at the same stage. Despite the 65-time grand prix
winner successfully making it out of Q1 in P13, he was only 0.163
seconds quicker, the closest the gap between them has been all
season. "Obviously, Max is Max. But at the same time, definitely
positive, like I said," Tsunoda stated. "I was very close to Max
throughout the week. Some sessions ahead... "So, I think,
obviously, frustrating missing out on [getting through] Q1. But
also, he was almost out as well. So, something that I can be proud
of a little bit."
