Tsunoda puts himself back on the F1 radar after Dutch GP
Yuki Tsunoda’s eleventh-place finish at the Dutch GP for Racing Bulls re-established his F1 credentials after a difficult 2025 season with Red Bull, despite missing points.
Yuki Tsunoda delivered a competitive performance at the Dutch Grand Prix, finishing P11 for Racing Bulls in the VCARB 03. While he did not score points, his weekend demonstrated his ability to adapt quickly to an unfamiliar car. The outing followed a lengthy absence from racing, with Tsunoda relying on simulator work and testing in a Red Bull chassis to maintain sharpness. His strong showing in qualifying and the sprint race underscored his experience and potential availability for future race seats.
Tsunoda’s weekend began with limited preparation, as he only had one simulator session in the VCARB 03 before the event. Despite this, he qualified P8 in Q1 and P12 in Q2, narrowing his gap to teammate Arvid Lindblad from 0.360s to 0.102s. He described the experience as enjoyable, highlighting his renewed confidence in car control and the challenge of chasing tenths. The sprint race provided valuable procedural experience, which Tsunoda credited for his improved performance in the main qualifying session.
Racing Bulls’ focus in Zandvoort was to minimize points loss to rivals Alpine, but both teams were penalized early in the race for passing under yellow flags. Tsunoda remained in contention for points until late in the Grand Prix, battling Pierre Gasly for position. Though Gasly ultimately claimed P10, Tsunoda’s race pace and consistency drew praise from the team and paddock observers. He acknowledged the challenges of adapting to the car’s degradation characteristics and procedural differences but emphasized the support he received from the squad.
Tsunoda’s prospects for a race seat remain uncertain given the limited opportunities in F1, but his Dutch GP performance has improved his standing. He expressed satisfaction with his weekend, noting that he demonstrated his capabilities in just one race. While points would have been preferable, his near-miss highlighted his readiness to compete at the highest level. The outing has positioned him more favorably than before, though the path forward depends on future vacancies and team decisions.