Yuki Tsunoda had his first drive in a Red Bull car during the post-season test in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. Reportedly, it went smoothly. The Japanese driver is still hoping to catch the eye of the Red Bull team management. According to the latest rumors, the team is considering replacing Sergio Pérez with Liam Lawson. However, a successful test with the RB20 could work in Tsunoda’s favor.
On Tuesday, Yuki Tsunoda completed a total of 127 laps in Red Bull’s RB20. It was the first time the Japanese driver got to ‘taste’ a car from the main team. For the past four years, he has been a regular at Visa RB (formerly AlphaTauri), but he was never seriously considered for promotion. However, after a disappointing season from Sergio Pérez, there seems to be an opportunity for advancement in 2025. The 24-year-old driver is up against teammate Liam Lawson, who is also reportedly in the running for the seat next to Max Verstappen.
‘Immediately Felt the Limitations’
“You can physically feel why the RB20 competed for a championship this year,” Yuki Tsunoda responded after his test laps to the media in Abu Dhabi. “There is a clear difference with the car I drove last season,” he referred to the VCARB 01 from Visa RB. “Especially the tire wear is much less compared to what I’m used to.” Max Verstappen used the RB20 to secure his fourth title, although Red Bull did not get further than third place in the constructors’ championship.
Tsunoda’s Experience with the Red Bull Vehicle
Yuki Tsunoda then explained that he had little difficulty with the control of the Red Bull vehicle. “To be honest, I had little trouble adapting,” he stated. “I had very few laps in which I lost time. Moreover, I was able to drive very consistently during the long runs and immediately felt where the limitations were. You only feel these kinds of things when you really have confidence in a car.” Of course, it works in Tsunoda’s favor to make such statements. For now, promotion seems to be preferred for Liam Lawson by the team management. The Japanese driver must therefore work hard to prove himself.
Yuki Tsunoda’s Test with Red Bull’s RB20
Yuki Tsunoda tested with Red Bull’s RB20 at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi.
Calendar for the 2025 Season
Here is the calendar for the 2025 season.
