Despite Tsunoda getting an encouragement start with FP1 at the Japanese Grand Prix, Red Bull finds it a little “a little more difficult” to actually drive compared to the simulator.
During the first practice session of the weekend at Suzuka, there was a lot of focus on the first tsunami outing at RB21, and he officially posted his teammate Max Verstappen with his best lap time of just over 0.1 seconds at a similar period in FP1. The afternoon running was hit by four red flags, meaning many teams missed representative data, but Tsunoda admits he got enough run to feel the challenges of his new car.
“Yeah, FP1 was better than I expected. It was a good start for me,” Tsunoda said. “And FP2 didn’t set lap times. I think there’s a lot to do. Maybe it was a bit of a struggle or there’s something I’d have to look into more of the FP2 data, but overall it’s fine so far.
“To be honest, it’s a little different to what I felt and the simulator. It’s a little more than I expected with the car’s feelings. Anyway, I knew it was always a little different in the real car and a little more exaggerated in the real car.
Although Tsunoda is a new addition to the Red Bull lineup, Verstappen has been seeking improvements to the car for some time, and says the lack of confidence he has in his car is hurting his pace.
“It was very confusing for everyone with the red flag,” Verstappen said. “So, like everyone else, we couldn’t complete everything we wanted to do, but today was extremely difficult for me.
“It’s very difficult to just put the wraps on it. It requires a lot of confidence and commitment around here, and at this point I don’t feel like I can use it.
Verstappen also complained of a strange feeling that the entire car would bend during the FP1, but said it was a continuing issue that appears to be more pronounced in Suzuka and would take some time to understand. A more immediate concern for the defending champions is reading what Red Bull racepace will look like on Saturday.
“It’s not that much for us, but I was in the soft so there’s a lot of control on the tire anyway. You can’t really push that tire, and I only liked three laps at the end.
“So it’s not a very good read. You’d think tomorrow, potentially with FP3, a lot of teams are trying to run a little longer with the time you have. But yeah, that wasn’t an easy day.”