Whereas Max Verstappen squeezed absolutely the most out of his RB21 with a P3 end, qualifying in Barcelona become a catastrophe for Yuki Tsunoda. The Japanese driver was not solely eradicated in Q1, however following Liam Lawson efficiency in China, he turned the second Pink Bull driver this season to set the slowest time in an everyday qualifying session.
Helmut Marko known as it one thing that must be “mentioned internally,” whereas Tsunoda himself sounded despondent within the media pen. He admitted that completely nothing labored and spoke of a “elementary limitation” within the automotive, though he additionally mentioned he didn’t know precisely what it was.
Tsunoda’s troublesome day suits into lengthy Pink Bull development
When Verstappen was requested throughout the Dutch media session within the paddock about Tsunoda’s last-place qualifying end, the reigning world champion responded:
“He’s not a pancake, proper? When he was in these Racing Bulls, he at all times seemed good in comparison with Hadjar. However yeah, it’s what it’s.”
(“Pannenkoek” is a Dutch slang time period for somebody who’s hopeless or fully incompetent.)
Whereas Verstappen talked about Isack Hadjar, the Frenchman additionally remarked after qualifying that, in his opinion, Tsunoda shouldn’t be a driver who belongs in P20:
“Yuki is unquestionably price greater than a P20, that is for positive,” Hadjar mentioned. “In fact, I do not actually know what he is going by way of in the mean time. As a result of I’ve by no means been on the opposite facet of the storage. However yeah, he must preserve pushing […] he is undoubtedly not a P20 man.”
Yuki Tsunoda, Pink Bull Racing
Picture by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Photos
That being mentioned, it suits completely with a long-standing development. The second Pink Bull seat has been a headache for years, usually leaving Verstappen to fend for himself in races.
“In fact it has been happening for a very long time. Perhaps that is additionally an indication,” Verstappen mentioned.
Requested what precisely it’s an indication of, Verstappen replied, “You may reply that your self.”
The Dutchman was clearly mentioning that the Pink Bull automotive is especially troublesome to deal with — one thing that is still true even in 2025.
“If you do not have sufficient grip, then that is it. The stability was good, however we simply did not have sufficient grip, so there was not a lot we may do.”
Verstappen values a aggressive automotive greater than a quick teammate
It’s clearly painful for Pink Bull Racing within the constructors’ championship—and for the related prize cash—however Verstappen has at all times mentioned that having a aggressive automotive issues extra to him within the title struggle than having a aggressive teammate.
Nonetheless, that aggressive automotive, wanted to correctly tackle McLaren, can also be at the moment missing.
“We simply lack a little bit of grip,” Verstappen mentioned in Spain in response to a query from Motorsport.com. “The general efficiency simply is not there. And we all know that. You simply have to just accept it.”
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