‘Unfortunate’: Frustrated Yuki Tsunoda outpaced by Liam Lawson after shock switch

Red Bull debutant Yuki Tsunoda said he felt “some frustration” after qualifying a lowly 15th on Saturday for his home Japanese Grand Prix, one place behind the driver he replaced.

Tsunoda was eliminated in Q2 in his first qualifying session for Red Bull since the team called him up to replace Liam Lawson just two races into the season.

The Japanese driver has shown promise in practice this week but said he “wasn’t able to put it together today and that’s a shame”.

“There’s some frustration today,” said Tsunoda.

“I think the warmup didn’t go as I wanted for that final lap and it was pretty messy, especially in the first sector.

“We are still learning and I thought the warmup was OK and we would maybe be a little compromised, but the penalty was pretty big.”

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Tsunoda was promoted from Red Bull’s sister team RB last week, with New Zealander Lawson going the other way to the team he drove for last year.

Tsunoda said his “confidence in the car feels good now” despite the disappointing result.

“I think the positive is I have started to understand the car well now,” he said.

“FP1 and FP3 felt good and I started well today, it was just that final lap.”

Red Bull were criticised in some quarters for the way they handled the driver switch.

Red Bull’s four-time world champion Max Verstappen made his displeasure known, saying his endorsement of a social media post slamming the decision “speaks for itself”.

Red Bull principal Christian Horner backed Tsunoda to bounce back on Sunday from the qualifying result.

“It was unfortunate for Yuki, who lost a couple of tenths in the first sector that cost him a chance of Q3,” Horner said.

“He’s settled in well and has been right there all weekend until that moment. He will race well from there tomorrow.”

Starting grid for the Japanese Grand Prix

1st row Max Verstappen (NED/Red Bull) Lando Norris (GBR/McLaren)

2nd row Oscar Piastri (AUS/McLaren) Charles Leclerc (MON/Ferrari)

3rd row George Russell (GBR/Mercedes) Kimi Antonelli (ITA/Mercedes)

4th row Isack Hadjar (FRA/Racing Bulls) Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Ferrari)

5th row Alexander Albon (THA/Williams) Oliver Bearman (GBR/Haas)

6th row Pierre Gasly (FRA/Alpine) Carlos Sainz (ESP/Williams)

7th row Fernando Alonso (ESP/Aston Martin) Liam Lawson (NZL/Racing Bulls)

8th row Yuki Tsunoda (JPN/Red Bull) Nico Hulkenberg (GER/Sauber)

9th row Gabriel Bortoleto (BRA/Sauber) Esteban Ocon (FRA/Haas)

10th row Jack Doohan (AUS/Alpine) Lance Stroll (CAN/Aston Martin)afp