Tsunoda Sacrifices Abu Dhabi Qualifying and Race to Aid Verstappen's Title Bid

Yuki Tsunoda deliberately sacrificed his qualifying performance in Abu Dhabi to provide tow assistance for teammate Max Verstappen, helping him secure pole position. Now, he's prepared to further compromise his own race strategy to support Verstappen's championship push.

Why it matters:

After a challenging season, Verstappen's title hopes are on the line, and every advantage counts. Tsunoda's commitment highlights the team-centric strategy at Red Bull, where individual aspirations are secondary to the overall championship goal. This level of tactical team play could significantly influence the outcome of the championship.

The Details:

• FP3 Collision Impact: Tsunoda's weekend began with a setback when his car's floor was damaged in a pitlane collision with Andrea Kimi Antonelli during Free Practice 3. This forced him to revert to an older specification floor, which he noted 'cost my performance into qualifying'.
• Scraping into Q3: Despite the performance deficit, Tsunoda narrowly made it through to Q3. He finished Q1 in 15th, just 0.008s ahead of Lewis Hamilton, and Q2 in 10th, merely 0.007s faster than Oliver Bearman, in a tightly contested session where the top 15 cars were within 0.367s.
• Q3 Towing Mission: In Q3, Tsunoda's primary role was to provide a slipstream for Verstappen on both of his flying laps. This tow proved crucial, helping Verstappen secure pole position by two-tenths of a second over title rivals Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
• High-Pressure Role: Tsunoda described the towing task as 'very stressful' due to the precise positioning required: "I couldn't be very close into Turn 5, couldn't be very far." He expressed satisfaction in executing the plan, earning compliments from the team, including Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko, who stated, "Yuki was incredible – the slipstream worked perfectly."

What's next:

With his Red Bull drive for 2026 already confirmed as a test and reserve role, Tsunoda has little personal stake in his final race performance and is fully committed to a tactical role. He explicitly stated, "I'll do as much as I can to help him. Most likely, it would probably compromise my strategy." This echoes Sergio Perez's strategic sacrifice in the 2021 season finale, where delaying his pitstop hindered Lewis Hamilton and benefited Verstappen. If needed, Tsunoda is prepared to compromise his own race to create an advantage for Verstappen in the championship fight, potentially influencing the pitstop windows and overall race strategy.