Tsunoda Laments 'Everything Going Against Me' After Las Vegas Disappointment

Yuki Tsunoda expressed deep frustration, feeling that "everything was going against me" after yet another challenging race in the Red Bull seat. The Japanese driver recorded his 16th pointless race of the year in Las Vegas, starting from the pit lane due to a power unit change after a poor qualifying session.

Why it matters:

Tsunoda's consistent struggle to convert promising practice pace into race results is putting his future with Red Bull in serious doubt. With his contract status uncertain and multiple drivers vying for seats, every missed opportunity to score points or demonstrate racecraft is critical. His performance directly impacts Red Bull's strategic decisions for their driver lineup, particularly at a time when the team is evaluating talent across its junior programs and other F1 seats.

The Details:

• Despite starting from the pit lane, the Las Vegas Grand Prix offered opportunities for recovery, as evidenced by Lewis Hamilton's climb from 19th to 8th and Kimi Antonelli's impressive surge from 17th to a podium finish.
• Tsunoda, however, could only manage a P12 finish, even after both McLaren cars were disqualified post-race, highlighting his inability to capitalize on the chaotic conditions.
• Unfavorable Timing: A key point of frustration for Tsunoda was the timing of a Virtual Safety Car (VSC). He explained, "The safety car came in right after I did it. So we do it now, what we were trying to achieve with that was trying to get it, but specifically came in multiple people just trying in front of it. So there was no point."
• Perceived Bad Luck: "It feels like everything so far is going against me and the luck and everything. I don’t like the word luck but this weekend feels like it’s really, really bad luck," Tsunoda stated.
• Lost Pace: He lamented the inability to translate his strong practice pace into qualifying and race performance, saying, "It’s strange and frustrating that I wasn’t able to use my pace I had until qualifying. Just throwing away."

The Big Picture:

Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies echoed Tsunoda's sentiments, acknowledging that the team "lost the points yesterday" in qualifying. They opted for an aggressive strategy by pitting him early to get him into clear air, but it ultimately wasn't enough to break into the points. This ongoing struggle to maximize race results from promising raw pace is a recurring theme for Tsunoda, who is in his fifth F1 season. While he pointed to his strong practice performances, sometimes matching Max Verstappen, his inability to consistently deliver when it counts raises questions about his race-day execution and adaptability under pressure.

What's next:

Tsunoda's future with Red Bull remains uncertain, with the team yet to publicly announce its full driver lineup for the upcoming season. While his practice pace has shown flashes of brilliance, particularly in the lead-up to Las Vegas, the pressure to deliver results in races is mounting. His ability to overcome these perceived 'bad luck' streaks and convert potential into tangible points will be crucial in securing his place on the F1 grid. The coming races will be vital for Tsunoda to prove he has the consistency and racecraft to be a long-term asset for the Red Bull family, especially with other drivers vying for those coveted seats.