Open debate after the great performance of Tsunoda and Lawson
After more than eight months of absence, Yuki Tsunoda He participated again in a race Formula 1. The Japanese got on the Racing Bulls replacing Liam Lawsonwho replaced the injured Isack Hadjar in Red Bull.
He Dutch Grand Prix It was Tsunoda’s first race with the new 2026 cars, as well as Lawson’s first experience with this year’s Red Bull. Although he New Zealander He was already a member of the team Austrian During the beginning of 2025, the number 30 was mounted for the first time on the ‘A’ team in a race in the new regulations.
The performance of both of them surprised for the better. Liam added the only points of the Milton Keynes during the race. His partner, Max Verstappen, He lost the opportunity to add when he crashed into the wall on the first lap.
Yuki, for his part, did not reach the points zone. However, the number 22 was the Racing Bulls best classified in the race by finishing in eleventh position, one of the ‘top 10’ that closed the race. Alpine by Pierre Gasly. In qualifying, both Lawson and Tsunoda were one tenth behind their teammates.
In statements collected by MotorsportMax Verstappen gave his opinion on whether the drivers have a lower margin to make a difference with the new regulations.
“Especially in qualifying, I think so,” said number 3. “Nowadays it is much easier to find the limit with these carsbecause in many areas you are also a little short on battery. “Everything is a little easier to square.”
“I think this weekend has shown it quite well compared to the previous cars,” continued the four-time Formula 1 world champion. “For me, it’s not a surprise“.
“I think you already see it throughout the season,” added the driver born in Belgium. “Everyone is always one tenth, two tenths away. If you make a very bad classification, three tenths away. The margins are always super small“.
Who disagrees with him Dutch It’s Andrea Stellacurrent sports director of the team McLaren. He Italian He provided a different point of view than Verstappen.
“They are difficult cars to drive for several reasons.. At the beginning of the season they were in the curves and later also in the straights,” said the engineer in statements reported by Motorsport.
“In the curves, due to little grip, much less downforce and smaller tires; and on the straights, due to inconsistencies in energy deployment or because you may suddenly encounter a ‘superclip’ before braking and then you lose your braking reference.
Stella has been with the British team since 2015, when she joined as head of race operations. Compared to cars from 2022 to 2026, Andrea added the following: “With the previous generation of cars there was much, much more downforce and much more grip coming from the tyres, and it was easier“.
