Tsunoda brings “positive energy”, useful feedback to Red Bull

Yuki Tsunoda has brought a “positive energy” to Red Bull, as team principal Christian Horner has praised the job that the Japanese Formula 1 driver has done at the team so far.

Tsunoda was given a test at Silverstone in Red Bull’s RB19, although faced what he described as “classic British weather” as he struggled to get much in the way of mileage in the run.

It nonetheless gave him time to further bed in with the Red Bull team at a track event, having been thrust into the team for Suzuka at short notice when Liam Lawson was placed back at the Racing Bulls squad after two races.

Horner nonetheless stated that Tsunoda was taking the right approach in not trying to measure himself up to Verstappen on the other side of the garage, and that he had been impressed by his new driver’s feedback so far.

“It’s just more seat time, him getting used to the engineering, the way that the team works and so on,” Horner said to Sky on Tsunoda’s test.

“I think he’s doing a nice job. And he’s brought a really positive energy into the team. He’s a character. He’s offering some really useful feedback as well, which is giving a good direction.

“And he’s in his fifth year, so he’s done quite a few races now. He understands how it works.

“And what I’ve noticed with him, he’s not obsessing what Max is doing. He’s just focusing on his own set-up with his engineer and not trying to mirror what’s going on on the other side of the garage, which I think is the right approach.

Horner added that he was also impressed by the efforts of Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar, who has enjoyed a strong run in his opening races in F1 after a difficult first appearance in Australia.

The Frenchman has scored five points so far, and has shown strong pace in qualifying throughout the first five races of the season.

“I think he’s exceeded all of our expectations. I mean, he’s looked really very impressive so far this season, and particularly at tracks he’s not been to,” Horner enthused.

“He has very little mileage in a grand prix car at all, and he’s taken to it like a duck to water. So he’s been very impressive so far.

“He’s very together. I mean, I think this crop of juniors that are coming in now, you can see they’re just ready to adapt to Formula 1 and they’re full of confidence, they’re full of energy.

“And Isack has driven brilliantly, I think, so far this year at pretty much all new circuits to him.”