P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Yuki Tsunoda stated that he didn’t think “a normal driver can live with it in my seat” at Red Bull, just days before the announcement that he would lost his seat for the 2026 F1 season.
Yuki Tsunoda expressed doubts about another driver performing as well as him in his seat at Red Bull, just days before the announcement of him losing his seat for the 2026 Formula 1 season. Tsunoda’s comments came after finishing 10th at the Qatar Grand Prix, shortly before the official news of him not being retained by Red Bull for the upcoming season. Despite facing challenges like the RB21’s uncompetitiveness and using older car parts compared to Verstappen, Tsunoda managed to stay close to his team-mate’s performance after being provided an identical car setup for the last three races. The Japanese driver even outqualified Verstappen in the Sprint race, which was a first among their time as teammates. Tsunoda believed he has shown his potential and driving skills, surpassing his immediate predecessors at Red Bull.
