Just below six tenths of a second separated Purple Bull duo Max Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda within the first phase of qualifying for the Spanish Grand Prix – however it was sufficient for the Japanese System 1 driver to be eradicated in final.
It was one other depressing afternoon for Tsunoda, who stated after Friday’s apply periods “I don’t know why I’m gradual”. What was extra baffling for him after qualifying was that he felt his laps had been cleaner – simply nonetheless not quick.
Throughout Q1 he requested the workforce to “examine the ground” as a result of he had ridden over the exit of Flip 13 fairly aggressively, however it’s understood this didn’t truly trigger any harm.
“I do not suppose it is the set-up,” stated Tsunoda, who is ready to begin his seventh grand prix for Purple Bull since shifting from sister squad Racing Bulls. “As a result of to be sincere, we tried virtually each set-up.
“There’s clearly some desire right here and there, however I believe I am nonetheless satisfied that we’re capable of not less than put all of it collectively when it comes to the automobile stability. And like I stated, the automobile stability itself shouldn’t be dangerous, and not less than additionally my confidence was there.
“The lap in qualifying on each [sets of] tyres, particularly the final push, was fairly good, so it does not actually stack up with my outcomes and with the tempo that I am having.”
Yuki Tsunoda, Purple Bull Racing
Picture by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Pictures
All through the weekend Tsunoda has complained about his RB21 sliding throughout each axles and suggesting the automobile has a “core limitation” he has been unable to resolve by way of set-up adjustments.
He has additionally alluded to an inexplicable – for him – drop-off in efficiency throughout earlier weekends.
“The final two grands prix, some periods I used to be matching or a bit quicker than Max and immediately it drops like hell,” Tsunoda added. “Even within the lengthy runs [this weekend] was a superb instance. No matter I do, nothing occurs and it seems like this automobile is consuming the tyres like hell, having degradation massively.
“It does not actually stack up and I believe the core limitation remains to be there. I do not know what it’s and I can not actually have any reply for that.”
Tsunoda has not all the time been on the identical aerodynamic spec as Verstappen because the workforce has naturally prioritised its world champion when it comes to producing new components. Verstappen received the newest ground in Miami, and a tranche of different small updates at Imola.
Though Tsunoda acquired the brand new ground at Imola, Purple Bull was imprecise about whether or not he had the opposite new components – and the query was rendered moot when he crashed in qualifying there, requiring a brand new automobile to be constructed up round a spare ‘tub’ with older elements, together with the previous-spec ground.
It’s understood that Tsunoda is constant to make use of that in Barcelona, although that is unlikely to account solely for such a disparity in lap time and dealing with traits.
Max Verstappen, Purple Bull Racing, Yuki Tsunoda, Purple Bull Racing Staff
Picture by: Peter Fox / Getty Pictures
“The efficiency is disappointing,” Purple Bull driver advisor Helmut Marko informed Sky Germany. “On Friday he was comparatively near Max.
“And now in qualifying, nothing labored in any respect. And to complete final – even when the automobile isn’t solely similar – is one thing we have to query internally.”
Isack Hadjar, Tsunoda’s team-mate at first of the season, added: “Yuki is unquestionably price greater than a P20, that is for certain.
“In fact, I do not actually know what he is going by way of in the meanwhile. As a result of I’ve by no means been on the opposite facet of the storage. However yeah, he must maintain pushing, I assume. He is undoubtedly not a P20 man.”
Automobiles experiencing sliding throughout each axles wasn’t a phenomenon unique to Tsunoda’s RB21. In Pirelli’s common Friday afternoon briefing, chief engineer Simone Berra stated low grip, and sliding entrance and rear, was comparatively frequent – albeit on the hard-compound C1 tyre. For Tsunoda to worry by it on different compounds factors to a extra deep-seated drawback.
Groups typically arrange automobiles with a slight understeer stability in an effort to shield the rear tyres from thermal degradation, particularly at tracks similar to Barcelona the place there are corners requiring laborious acceleration on the exit.
However that comes with more durable trade-offs right here because the quick corners place a variety of stress on the outside-front tyre, all of the extra so because the remaining chicane was eliminated for the 2023 race.
Yuki Tsunoda, Purple Bull Racing Staff
Picture by: Peter Fox / Getty Pictures
That introduces put on into the combination, on prime of thermal degradation attributable to the entrance axle sliding. Discovering a candy spot is difficult and it appears Tsunoda is operating out of potential set-up permutations to find it.
“We did virtually all the pieces [on set-up],” he stated. “Precisely the identical, simply 4 wheels sliding round. We’ve to debate, however I can not see what sort of set-up will make the sport change.”
Pictures from Spanish GP – Saturday
Learn Additionally:
On this article
Stuart Codling
System 1
Yuki Tsunoda
Purple Bull Racing
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