Yuki Tsunoda makes staggering Helmut Marko 'difference' claim

Yuki Tsunoda has made the staggering claim that Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko did not realise the differences between his car and that of Max Verstappen.

Tsunoda had struggled to stay within a respectable distance of the four-time F1 champion until he received crucial upgrades in Belgium and Hungary. It was only then that the Japanese driver showed a noticeable improvement in his overall pace.

While his results still paint a negative picture, his lap-time deficit to the Dutchman has decreased since the introduction of the upgrades.

In Hungary, Tsunoda’s car was equipped with a new floor, which helped him discover that there is still "potential" for him in the RB21.

"Yeah, definitely I have to show more," Tsunoda told select media, including RacingNews365. "But actually, the last two races before the summer break helped a little bit.

"Probably they, especially Helmut, didn't recognise that much the difference between me and Max, in terms of the package differences. As soon as they introduced that, my pace suddenly improved.

"In Hungary, the difference between me and Max was very small since practice, and that shows that maybe I have some potential. 

"So I think I will just keep what I'm doing, but also at the same time, I still have to put it all together throughout the week. You can't just rely on pace."

Tsunoda faces Red Bull deadline

Tsunoda's struggles have been highlighted by the fact that he has now gone seven races without scoring a point, making it the worst point-less run of any Red Bull driver. 

He recognises the urgent need to start supporting the team's push for second in the constructors' standings, with an agreement also reached over when he needs to perform to save his Red Bull future.

"I need to score points," recognised Tsunoda. "That's why I was preparing for it during this summer break. I just need to score points as much as possible.

"In terms of time, we kind of agreed on what kind of time we are looking for me to show good performance, to let them decide what kind of contract they want for next year. But, let's see."