Yuki Tsunoda admitted to befuddlement over his lack of tempo after System 1’s opening follow classes on the Spanish Grand Prix – revealing he “would not have any thought why I am gradual”.
The Pink Bull driver believed that, though his two Friday classes had been “clean” and with none apparent points, the last word tempo was too gradual and he was at a loss to clarify why.
Tsunoda was heard to critique the RB21 through crew radio, noting that he was affected by sliding at each axles, and ended up six tenths slower than team-mate Max Verstappen amid the soft-tyre qualifying simulations.
Like Verstappen, he did lengthy runs on each medium and smooth tyres – however was visibly off the four-time champion’s tempo throughout the laps. GPS information suggests a big shortfall in carrying pace via Flip 9 and Flip 10 versus Verstappen.
“It was tough,” was Tsunoda’s view of the classes. “To be sincere, when it comes to the primary day in comparison with every other grand prix, it felt fairly clean.
“I feel I made progress from FP1, FP2. However to be sincere, I simply haven’t any thought why I’m gradual. The lap was fairly good as effectively, contemplating FP2 and clearly it isn’t like totally 100%.
“However clearly it isn’t the hole that I am anticipating. So it is arduous to even inform what sort of precise limitation I’ve when it comes to steadiness, it is OK. We’ve to see what we will enhance, however presently [I’m] struggling.
Yuki Tsunoda, Pink Bull Racing
Picture by: Pink Bull Content material Pool
“Hopefully we will discover one thing, in any other case, it is actually powerful. It isn’t like I had a large mistake and I am behind and being in comparison with rivals; if I had a mistake and with out outcomes, I am comfortable, truly, but it surely’s not like that.
“Will probably be an extended night time than common, most likely, however clearly there is a curfew and every part. I will strive my finest to discover a resolution. At present, it isn’t very clear.”
From Verstappen’s standpoint, the Dutchman loved an “OK” Friday and famous that there was a tentative feeling of higher positivity versus a few of Pink Bull’s FP1-FP2 run-ins to the weekend to this point this yr.
He famous that he nonetheless needed extra out of the automobile to really feel really snug, as he was at Imola, however was finally happy to not really feel “out of it” after the opening classes.
“The observe is all the time very pleasurable to drive. It is fairly scorching on the market as effectively, particularly for the tyres. However I feel it was an OK Friday,” Verstappen defined.
“We have had worse Fridays, however I felt a bit happier with the automobile. We’re nonetheless not, I feel, the place we wish to be, but it surely was positively a bit extra optimistic.
“Each observe is a bit totally different, however the feeling, I nonetheless need a greater feeling from the automobile. I’ve additionally had Fridays the place we had been fully out of it. So, it’s kind of extra, I might say, within the center.”
Pictures from Spanish GP – Observe
Learn Additionally:
On this article
Jake Boxall-Legge
System 1
Yuki Tsunoda
Pink Bull Racing
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