Yuki Tsunoda’s weekend in Miami showcased both promise and pressure, as the Red Bull driver delivered a spirited drive in the Sprint race but continued to underwhelm in qualifying.
With Christian Horner now publicly highlighting a “pattern” of issues in Q3, the 24-year-old finds himself under increasing scrutiny.
Tsunoda’s climb from the back of the grid to sixth place in Saturday’s Sprint was one of his most impressive showings since joining Red Bull full-time.
Replacing Liam Lawson at the Japanese Grand Prix, Tsunoda’s upward trajectory has shown signs of genuine potential — but it hasn’t come without challenges.
After teammate Max Verstappen received a 10-second penalty for a pit lane collision with Kimi Antonelli, Tsunoda was one of the beneficiaries. But in qualifying, the contrast between the two Red Bull drivers was clear.
“I think he did a good job to get into Q3,” Horner told Sky Sports F1 about Tsunoda in Miami. “But we’ve seen a little bit of a pattern now that his time in Q3… it’s almost like he’s overdriving slightly… because he’s only matching the time he did in Q2 as the circuit’s still improving.”
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Miami highlights Tsunoda strengths and exposes flaws
Tsunoda acknowledged his disappointment with qualifying P10 for Sunday’s race, despite feeling he’d put together a clean lap.
“I was expecting more from qualifying, but the Sprint was a good recovery, so it’s mixed feelings for me today,” Tsunoda said. “The lap was alright but we definitely have a bit more to find.”
The Japanese driver also admitted that life at Red Bull has been tougher than expected, especially with high internal expectations and Verstappen setting an unreachable standard most weekends.
“I gave it my all out there in qualifying… I am a little disappointed it was only good enough for P10,” Tsunoda said.
Despite the Sprint points boost, Horner’s comments suggest that expectations are higher. The team needs Tsunoda to be not just a solid number two, but a consistent contributor in both qualifying and race scenarios.
Starting 10th for Sunday’s Grand Prix, just ahead of Lewis Hamilton, Tsunoda will need another smart, aggressive drive to keep pressure at bay.
But unless his one-lap pace improves soon, questions about his long-term future with Red Bull may begin to surface.
