Yuki Tsunoda has missed his greatest likelihood to affix Crimson Bull’s Method 1 group, after they introduced his group mate Liam Lawson will race for them in 2025.
Crimson Bull handed Lawson his likelihood to drive for his or her high group after simply 11 begins with their junior squad. They picked him over Tsunoda, who has pushed for RB (beforehand referred to as AlphaTauri) since 2021.
Tsunoda undoubtedly feels arduous accomplished by that Crimson Bull have neglected him. Earlier than the top of the season, because it turned clear Crimson Bull would exchange Sergio Perez in 2025, Tsunoda made the pointed declare that he had “destroyed” his group mates whereas at RB.
Does Tsunoda’s declare stack up – and does Crimson Bull’s resolution to advertise Lawson as a substitute of him make sense?
Tsunoda vs Gasly
Tsunoda made his F1 debut in 2021 following a fast promotion via the junior classes together with a single 12 months every in Method 3 and Method 2. His first group mate was Pierre Gasly who had already began 64 F1 races, all bar two for Crimson Bull’s second group, recognized on the time as AlphaTauri (now RB).
Factors on his debut in Bahrain set expectations excessive, however Tsunoda largely did not stay as much as them in his first season. Staff principal Franz Tost grew involved following a sequence of collisions, however Tsunoda earned a second season on the group.
In his second season Tsunoda confirmed much more polish and potential. He ran Gasly nearer in qualifying and took a bigger share of the group’s factors. The extra skilled driver nonetheless comfortably out-scored him by nearly two to at least one, however the enchancment Tsunoda had made was apparent.
Tsunoda vs de Vries
If Crimson Bull had their means, Tsunoda’s 2023 group mate would have been Colton Herta, however he lacked the mandatory FIA superlicence factors and the FIA wouldn’t budge. They subsequently appointed Nyck de Vries: A champion in Method 2 and Method E who was neglected by Method 1 groups till his spectacular debut as an alternative to Alexander Albon at Monza in 2022.
Nevertheless with Daniel Ricciardo returning to Crimson Bull as a reserve, the senior group shortly determined they wished to get a measure of his skills, and De Vries was shunted apart after simply 10 races. He had not proven up brilliantly in opposition to Tsunoda throughout that point, however nor had been his statistics disastrous for a rookie with so few begins.
Would Tsunoda have averted the identical destiny 10 races into his F1 profession if Crimson Bull had determined they wished his seat for another person? Unlikely.
Tsunoda vs Ricciardo
Tsunoda and the returning Ricciardo may every look upon the opposite as their ticket to the highest group: If both beat the opposite comprehensively it could make a powerful case for his or her promotion. However the closing consequence wasn’t conclusive sufficient for both driver, and the image was additional difficult by Ricciardo’s enforced absence attributable to damage within the second half of 2023.
It wasn’t a rout, and Ricciardo arguably delivered essentially the most spectacular performances of both driver throughout this spell, within the 2023 Mexican Grand Prix and 2024 Miami dash race. Maybe these peaks gave Crimson Bull the impression there was extra potential within the automotive than both driver was commonly tapping.
However Tsunoda indisputably held the higher hand by the point Crimson Bull lastly misplaced endurance with Ricciardo and confirmed him the door following the Singapore Grand Prix. This made the strongest case for Tsunoda to be thought-about as a Crimson Bull driver, and shortly afterwards got here phrase he would lastly get to check for the group following the conclusion of the 2024 championship.
Go ad-free for simply £1 per 30 days
>> Discover out extra and join
Tsunoda vs Lawson
Liam Lawson’s arrival as an alternative to the injured Ricciardo on the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix was not the primary time he and Tsunoda shared a group. They paired up at Motopark in Euroformula Open in 2019 and confirmed a worrying tendency to collide with one another.
Tsunoda is forward of Lawson on the uncooked numbers, however with 76 extra grands prix below his belt than his group mate, he would need the rating line to be clearer. Lawson nearly matched him in race outcomes, and although the qualifying score-line is sort of one-sided, there was typically little or no in it this 12 months. Lawson certified mere hundredths off Tsunoda in Mexico, Losail and Yas Marina.
That goes a way in the direction of explaining why, although some elements of Lawson’s performances in opposition to Tsunoda’s weren’t massively higher than De Vries’s, Crimson Bull take into account him a greater prospect. His points-scoring, aided by an outstanding 10-place climb via the sphere in Austin, has additionally little doubt made an affect. In distinction, Tsunoda misplaced extra locations throughout grands prix this 12 months on common than some other driver.
Then there are the intangible elements which don’t present up on graphs. Crimson Bull group principal Christian Horner stated they had been impressed by Lawson’s combative model when racing different drivers. Tsunoda’s tendency to shoot from the hip on his radio has not impressed confidence.
However alternatives like these are additionally a matter of timing. Tsunoda’s arrival in F1 coincided with a interval when Crimson Bull had been glad with Perez’s efficiency. Had Crimson Bull wanted a driver midway via 2021 – when Verstappen was locked in a title battle with Lewis Hamilton – would they’ve risked selling Tsunoda?
Tsunoda vs Gasly – first 11 grands prix
To place Tsunoda’s present kind into perspective along with his performances in opposition to Lawson, right here’s how he did in his first 11 races in opposition to Gasly in 2021. The pair loved a way more aggressive automotive, therefore the upper factors scores for each, however Tsunoda over his first 11 races arguably didn’t impress fairly as properly in opposition to his group mate as Lawson has accomplished.
Advert | Develop into a RaceFans supporter and
Miss nothing from RaceFans
Get a day by day e-mail with all our newest tales – and nothing else. No advertising and marketing, no advertisements. Enroll right here:
