Yuki Tsunoda reveals why 'incredible' Max Verstappen is destroying team-mates

Yuki Tsunoda has explained how he thinks Max Verstappen's set-up demands are aiding his domination against Red Bull team-mates.

Verstappen is renowned as being a driver who demands a sharp front-end from his cars, with Red Bull naturally developing the car around these traits over Verstappen's nine years with the team. 

Daniel Ricciardo, Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon, Sergio Perez, and Liam Lawson have all either left or been discarded as Verstappen's team-mate, with Gasly and Lawson axed mid-season in 2019 and 2025, respectively.

Tsunoda performed well on his debut at the Japanese GP after replacing Lawson, although he did not score points in the turgid race where overtaking was an impossibility. 

Reflecting on the situation and Verstappen's demands from the car, Tsunoda explained how he could feel the "trickiness" in the world champion's set-up when testing it on the simulator.

"In terms of how I got on in the car, it's still okay, it's too early stages to say I'm able to drive comfortably or not, but I think I'm able to cope with the car balance that most drivers struggle with so far," Tsunoda told media including RacingNews365.

"Actually, we went to Max's side rather than my set-up [in Japan], which I thought would be good. Surprisingly, I'm able to drive quite well so I'm happy with it so far.

"Max felt pretty positive in the simulator, so in the end, Max started with that direction at Suzuka, which I quite liked as well, but I went for a more extreme side in that direction and it just didn't work out.

"It's not like the set-up that Max used in China, which was more specific because it was more front limited, but Max's set-up helps [the rear] and I think with that set-up probably in the simulator, I definitely felt the trickiness.

"It's incredible how he's able to cope with that kind of set-up. Even in the simulator, I feel like it's not an easy car."

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Tsunoda explains how Racing Bulls is 'easier'

Tsunoda also further explained the differences between Red Bull and his old Racing Bulls team in terms of trackside operations, and how the latter can make things "easier."

"It is a completely different approach," said Tsunoda. 

"I feel like VCARB will tell us how to do it, and Red Bull is more like they can adjust it from the out lap. It's quite a different approach there and I wouldn't say which is better or not, to be honest.

"There are a couple of things that feel like VCARB is doing an easier approach for the driver, more than Red Bull, I think Max has had that process for nine years, so he's just able to naturally do it.

"I probably have a little bit of digging to warm up [to it], what kind of approach I should take, and it's an ongoing process, how we can do better as a team to make it a little bit easier."