The struggles Yuki Tsunoda continues to face at Red Bull were thrown into sharp relief at the Austrian Grand Prix, where the Japanese driver could only manage 18th on the grid for Sunday’s race at the Red Bull Ring, with Helmut Marko, explaining why the issue lies in the RB21 car.
Marko explained that the RB21 behaves like a completely different machine when conditions change, making it incredibly challenging for a driver to get comfortable from one run to the next.
“With his first set, he was still somewhat within range,” Marko told Austrian broadcaster ORF. “That would’ve even been enough for Q3. But with the changing conditions, Yuki just has a much harder time adapting. Max can drive over that.”
Marko expanded on the issue, noting that the Red Bull is particularly sensitive when pushed to its limits. “The main problem is that our car has too narrow a working window, and is also extremely edgy at the limit. When McLaren slides, the car corrects itself easily. With us, it’s always a tightrope walk between going off and just barely keeping it together.”
This sensitivity means that even small changes in temperature, wind, or grip levels can transform the RB21’s behaviour. While Max Verstappen is renowned for quickly adapting to whatever the car throws at him, Tsunoda has found it much more challenging to keep pace.
Tsunoda Frustrated by Inconsistency
After his Q1 elimination, Tsunoda was candid about the unpredictable nature of his qualifying experience.
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“Not able to adjust properly with the things in the second push,” Tsunoda explained. “First push felt good, and yeah, the second push. I mean, obviously, there’s always perfect laps.
“So, you know, there’s something that I could have done better. But, yeah, also, that balance felt completely different between first push and second push. That caught a bit of a surprise.”
When asked where exactly he was feeling these inconsistencies, Tsunoda’s answer was succinct: “Everywhere, yeah.”
Despite his Red Bull struggles, Tsunoda maintained that he entered the session with confidence and high expectations.
“I was expecting at least Q3 today. I know this car feels good and, you know, just first push already felt really good as well,” Tsunoda added. “So, yeah, just somehow, I guess, with this kind of stage that I’m in, I’m happy with the confidence. And I’m sure I’m in the right direction in terms of how I’m approaching it and progress.”
Tsunoda acknowledged, however, that the RB21’s finicky behaviour made the job almost impossible at times: “With this kind of very narrow window car, you just want to have a consistent car as much as possible. Obviously, I guess Max kind of reported the same in Q2, but at least he knows about this car, how to handle it.”
Red Bull Contrasts and Challenges
Although Max Verstappen managed to qualify seventh, his result was not what Red Bull expected at their home circuit. Marko suggested that if it were not for the yellow flag triggered by Pierre Gasly’s spin, Verstappen could have been up in third place.
“The conditions were very different compared to FP3. Everyone had problems, except McLaren. And seventh place, I mean, that’s only because of the yellow flag,” Marko added. “According to our data, Max would’ve been around third place, but still a good half a second behind Norris. That’s a really big gap we’re getting here on such a short track.”
Verstappen himself has voiced concerns about the RB21’s consistency and narrow operating window throughout the season. The world champion has often commented that the car’s handling can change rapidly, forcing him to adjust his approach from lap to lap.
This weekend in Austria has proved to be another reminder of how the RB21’s sensitivity places an extra burden on both drivers—one that Verstappen is currently managing better than Tsunoda.
As the 2025 Austrian Grand Prix approaches, Red Bull’s technical team faces the challenge of extracting more predictable performance from the RB21, while Tsunoda will be aiming to find a way to adapt his driving style to one of the most demanding cars on the grid.
