Whereas squeezed absolutely the most out of his RB21 with a P3 end, qualifying in Barcelona became a catastrophe for . The Japanese driver was not solely eradicated in Q1, however following efficiency in China, he grew to become the second Pink Bull driver this season to .
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 “basic limitation” within the automotive, though he additionally mentioned he didn’t know precisely what it was.
Tsunoda’s tough day matches into lengthy Pink Bull pattern
When Verstappen was requested throughout the Dutch media session within the paddock about , the reigning world champion responded:
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“He’s not a pancake, proper? When he was in these Racing Bulls, he all the time appeared 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 just isn’t a driver who belongs in P20:
“Yuki is certainly price greater than a P20, that is for positive,” Hadjar mentioned. “In fact, I do not actually know what he is going via in the mean time. As a result of I’ve by no means been on the opposite aspect of the storage. However yeah, he must preserve pushing […] he is positively not a P20 man.”
Yuki Tsunoda, Pink Bull Racing
Yuki Tsunoda, Pink Bull RacingAndy Hone / Motorsport Photos
Andy Hone / Motorsport Photos
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That being mentioned, it matches completely with a long-standing pattern. The second Pink Bull seat has been a headache for years, typically 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 stating that the Pink Bull automotive is especially tough to deal with — one thing that is still true even in 2025.
“If you do not have sufficient grip, then that is it. The steadiness was good, however we simply did not have sufficient grip, so there was not a lot we might 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 all the time mentioned that having a aggressive automotive issues extra to him within the title struggle than having a aggressive teammate.
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Nevertheless, that aggressive automotive, wanted to correctly tackle McLaren, can 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 simply accept it.”
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