Max Verstappen struggled on Friday, finishing fifth in FP2 with his fastest lap of the day. Teammate Yuki Tsunoda wasn’t far behind in seventh, just three tenths off Verstappen’s pace.
But Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko wasn’t ready to celebrate Tsunoda’s performance just yet.
“Let’s wait ’till qualifying,” Marko told reporters when asked about the Japanese driver’s strong showing.
Tsunoda has had a rough season since joining Red Bull Racing at his home race in Japan. He’s found it tough to get the most out of his RB21 car.
The numbers tell the story. While Verstappen sits third in the Drivers’ standings with 187 points, Tsunoda has managed just 10 points, leaving him down in eighteenth place.
It’s been a bumpy road for the Japanese driver in more ways than one.
Earlier this season, he crashed heavily during qualifying at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. He’s also struggled to advance past the first qualifying session multiple times, including right before the summer break in Hungary.
When asked if Tsunoda’s car issues had played a role in his difficulties, Marko acknowledged the situation.
“It’s true,” he said. “Most of the races he was not on the same spec, but mainly through his crash in Imola, we were very short on parts.”
After the Imola accident, Tsunoda reportedly had to use an older version of the RB21, which likely didn’t help his results.
Things have started looking up recently, though.
“It was nearer in Hungary, but unfortunately there we hadn’t been competitive, so he dropped out in Q1,” Marko explained. “But the tendency is moving forward.”
The entire Red Bull team seems to be facing challenges at Zandvoort. Verstappen described Friday as “difficult,” while Marko admitted that the upgrades they brought to the circuit haven’t made much difference.
With qualifying and the race still ahead, the team will be hoping for better fortunes as the weekend progresses.
