After failing to progress to the final Q3 session in Sprint Qualifying during the Belgian Grand Prix Weekend, Red Bull driver Yuki Tsunoda found himself stuck in 12th place at the sprint finish. In response, new Team Principal Laurent Mekies made a decisive call to introduce a last-minute floor upgrade to Tsunoda’s car before Sunday’s grand prix qualifying, aiming to enhance the Japanese driver’s performance. This strategic move was crucial in helping Tsunoda improve his showing on the track at Spa-Francorchamps.
Strategic Risk Taken to Align Tsunoda’s Car with Verstappen’s Setup
The modification to Tsunoda’s floor aligned his car more closely with the specifications that his teammate Max Verstappen has utilized since the Miami Grand Prix. Mekies revealed that Red Bull maintains a very tight inventory of car parts during race weekends, so adding this upgrade at the last moment was a calculated risk for the team. This decision, though unconventional, was made with the goal of extracting better qualifying results.
“We’ve upgraded his car just before qualifying, as we are always pushing to the edge on our car parts quantity,”
Mekies said in an interview with F1TV.
“We decided to take the risk to upgrade his car, so that’s why you may have seen we were nearly a bit late to go out in qualifying.”
Tsunoda Delivers Best Qualifying Result Since Joining Red Bull
The risk undertaken by Mekies and the Red Bull garage quickly paid off because Tsunoda achieved his best qualifying result since he joined Red Bull during the third race of this season. Earlier in the year, while Mekies was already overseeing the sister team Visa Cash App Racing Bulls, Tsunoda had reached Q3 twice, earning a fifth-place grid position in Australia and ninth in China. This time, he qualified seventh, only three spots and about four-tenths of a second behind Verstappen.
Impact of Upgrades on Tsunoda’s Performance and Comfort
The modifications have notably improved Tsunoda’s comfort and confidence in the car. The floor upgrade has contributed significantly to this progress, giving the driver optimism about further improvements in upcoming races. After a dry spell, Tsunoda has not scored points since the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, the seventh round of the season. He accumulated a total of 10 points this year, seven of which came after the seat swap that saw Liam Lawson take over his previous position.
“Big credit to the team that they brought an upgrade just before qualifying,”
Tsunoda shared with F1TV.
“I’m very happy with that, I felt a massive difference with that. Still some bits to go, but even the floor was a big upgrade.”
Verstappen’s Qualifying and Mekies’ View on Competitive Gaps
Meanwhile, Max Verstappen qualified fourth behind the McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, as well as the Ferrari driven by Charles Leclerc. Mekies expressed that while he accepted the gap between Red Bull and McLaren as realistic, he was frustrated that Verstappen missed out on third place by mere thousandths of a second to Leclerc.
“The gap to McLaren is proper fair, it’s obviously frustrating to be beaten by Charles by a few thousandths, but it’s part of the game,”
Mekies commented.
“I think overall, the gap is what it is 2 to 3 tenths behind, I think it’s reflecting the reality.”
Additional Red Bull-Linked Drivers Perform Well at Belgian GP
Other drivers linked to Mekies, such as Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar from the VCARB team, also made it into Q3, qualifying eighth and ninth respectively for the Belgian Grand Prix. The weekend demonstrated how closely tied the Red Bull family of drivers and affiliates remain competitive, with ongoing technical upgrades shaping their performances.
Significance of the Upgrade and Outlook for Tsunoda
The floor adjustment at the Belgian Grand Prix highlights Red Bull’s willingness to take midweekend risks to boost driver performance, especially for Tsunoda, who continues to develop within the team’s structure. These incremental improvements could prove vital as Tsunoda aims to move up the field and score more consistent points during the 2025 season. With Mekies leading the operation and new parts being tested under race conditions, Tsunoda’s prospects look more promising for upcoming Grand Prix weekends. The success of this upgrade may encourage Red Bull to deploy similar tactical enhancements to support their junior driver in the near future.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Did Yuki Tsunoda ever win a race?
A. Yuki Tsunoda started his journey to Formula One in 2016 by racing in the Japanese F4 championship at the Suzuka circuit. He achieved 10 victories and secured a podium finish 18 times in that series. Additionally, he earned 12 pole positions and posted the fastest lap in five races.
Q. Has Yuki Tsunoda won a race?
A. Tsunoda came in second in the first race at Paul Ricard and took third at the Pau Grand Prix before winning his first championship in the second race at Hockenheim.
Q. Who is the shortest F1 driver? While some drivers tower over the grid, Yuki Tsunoda confidently holds the title of the shortest driver in Formula 1, standing at just 1.59 meters (5 ft 3 in). That makes him a full 27 centimeters shorter than the tallest drivers—Alex Albon and Esteban Ocon.
A. Who is the F1 driver with the least height?