Monster, nice guy, great G&Ts and now his newest Formula 1 team-mate, Yuki Tsunoda has had a lot to say about Max Verstappen and his confidence in taking the fight to the Red Bull driver.
Despite overlooking Tsunoda for the Red Bull seat back in December, Red Bull announced on Thursday that the Japanese driver would replace Liam Lawson with immediate effect.
Is Yuki Tsunoda is ‘ready’ to fight Max Verstappen?
Tsunoda will make his Red Bull debut at the Japanese Grand Prix, with Christian Horner not only hoping he scores the first points in the second RB21 but that he can assist Verstappen in developing it.
“We acknowledge there is a lot of work to be done with the RB21 and Yuki’s experience will prove highly beneficial in helping to develop the current car,” said the Red Bull team principal.
“We welcome him to the team and are looking forward to seeing him behind the wheel of the RB21.”
However, Tsunoda, or even Lawson, feel about the swap wasn’t mentioned in the press release with only Horner getting a quote.
Tsunoda though, has let us know often enough in the past what he really thinks about four-time World Champion, Verstappen.
Yuki Tsunoda: Fight against that monster
Last season, Verstappen shrugged off a 10-race winless streak, his longest since 2000, to win a fourth successive Drivers’ Championship title.
The Dutchman put in one of the best wet-weather drivers ever seen in Formula 1 as he raced from 17th on the grid to first at the Brazilian Grand Prix, taking the chequered flag by 19s.
That all but mathematically quashed Lando Norris’ title charge and a race later, the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Verstappen wrapped it up with a P5 finish.
Congratulating the Dutchman, Tsunoda insisted to Viaplay that he would be the driver who could take the fight to “that monster”, Verstappen.
“I am ready to fight against that monster, but at the same time, well done to him, congrats,” he said.
1996 World Champion Damon Hill appreciated the Japanese driver’s spirit: “You can’t deny it, he has pluck!”
Yuki Tsunoda: So Drivers’ Championship-wise…
But with that pluck comes a bit of realism too as while the 24-year-old is confident in his ability to take the fight to Verstappen, he acknowledges that when it comes to the World Championship battle, he may be second best.
But only at the beginning of their partnership.
“I think I can fight hard with him,” he told RN365. “I won’t make life easy for him, for sure.
“Obviously, he’s very fast and he’s very consistent. So Drivers’ Championship-wise, I wouldn’t say I have massive confidence that I can straight away beat him in the Drivers’ Championship from the first year.
“I have confidence that I can fight hard against him
Yuki Tsunoda: A lot of things I can learn
But while Tsunoda is confident that he can match the four-time World Champion, he conceded last year that, first and foremost, he could learn from him.
Tsunoda has yet to feature on the Formula 1 podium, never mind win a Grand Prix, whereas Verstappen has 113 podiums and 63 race wins.
“A lot of things I can learn, especially consistency with any conditions like half-wet, dry, dry-wet, wet conditions.
“Multiple condition changes, he’s always somehow adapted really, really well. That’s why he was very consistent last year, being able to 19 races and last year, there were a lot of multiple weather changes [during races] and those moments won’t be as much car-performance dominated.
“If you’re a really bad driver and driving a good car, you’re still bad driver and will easily lose positions, so that’s why he’s [Verstappen] able to win consistently. So, those things, for sure, I can learn a lot.”
Yuki Tsunoda: Verstappen is not as he appears
The now-former Racing Bulls driver also isn’t afraid of Verstappen’s reputation.
Seen by many as a ruthless operator, especially when it comes to wheel-to-wheel battles, Verstappen doesn’t take any prisoners.
But if you ask Tsunoda, he’s actually a very likeable chap with an awesome G&T recipe.
“Verstappen is not as he appears, he is a very nice guy,” he told Gazzetta dello Sport. “It was him who made me discover some excellent gin and tonic on his private jet. I will thank him forever for this.”
