F1 | Tsunoda: “Positive synergy with Red Bull, it will make us grow”

With the presentation in Las Vegas, another chapter opened in the history of the Faenza team which, after abandoning the AlphaTauri guise, has taken on another identity this year. Leading this project will be two new key figures, namely Peter Bayer, who had already assumed the role of CEO of the company last year, and Laurent Mekies, who became Team Principal after his experience at Ferrari.

However, along with them have also arrived new engineers ready to help Racing Bulls take steps forward, including Tim Goss from the FIA ​​and Alan Permane from Alpine, with the latter stepping into the role of sporting director. Two new figures who can undoubtedly bring years of experience in the sector.

An element also underlined by Yuki Tsunoda, in his fourth year with the Faenza team, but who for the first time faces such an important change of identity with many new additions. “For me it is the first experience of such an important change. There are many things that are changing, people who have joined the team,” said the Japanese in an interview given to the Formula 1 website.

Tsunoda underlined how much a figure like Permane can help by bringing new blood and a mentality within the team, given that during his career the British engineer won two world titles in his time at Renault. “We will have to adapt to a new environment, but for now there have been no big surprises, but at the same time the people who are arriving in the team have a lot of experience, like Alan Permane.”

“These new arrivals will help us progress and will also help me become a better driver. Permane has won titles in the past [con Renault], brings a winning mentality, a mentality that the team needs. As a goal we don't just want to be in the top ten, but we hope that at some point in the future we will also be able to fight against Red Bull.”

However, this new identity also represents an opportunity to rebuild by aiming for something different. After a 2021 as protagonists, the first two years of the ground effect era have held little satisfaction for the Faenza team. Only in the second half of last season did the team manage to make tangible steps forward, returning more consistently towards the top ten, so much so that it climbed from tenth to eighth position in the constructors' championship.

“We weren't entirely happy with what we were able to achieve in the last two years. Obviously last year we managed to grow in the second half of the season, but in the first part we struggled a lot, we expected better performances. Already from 2022 we wanted to make progress, we wanted better results. I think we needed this process. If we go back to 2021, we had a very competitive car, especially with Pierre [Gasly] he managed to achieve excellent results in the race, we need those results at least. And I think with this collaboration [con Red Bull] we can do it.”

Yuki Tsunoda, VCARB 01

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

The transformation process, however, does not only pass through the new identity, but also through the technical aspect. Although it wants to establish itself as a new project, Racing Bulls has chosen to take a leap towards its past, because from this year the partnership with the parent company will be further strengthened, which will provide even more elements than in previous championships. Among these there is also the front suspension, clearly derived from Red Bull following the transition to the pull rod scheme. However, the advantages will not only lie in the layout, which according to several technical directors guarantees greater cleanliness in the management of turbulence arising from the front tyres, but also in having adopted the same components, such as springs and rocker arms, used by the reigning champion team.

Team Principal Laurent Mekies underlined that this enhanced sharing process is natural and that Racing Bulls will exploit as many elements of the parent company as possible, approaching the maximum allowed by the regulation. However, some small details will remain produced entirely in Faenza both for practicality and need. Also according to Yuki Tsunoda this new synergy will guarantee important advantages.

“I think it's good to work closer to Red Bull Racing, which has been able to win a lot in the past. In recent years they have dominated. But obviously there are regulations regarding how much we can work together, this applies to others too. Let's see how much closer we can work but, at the same time, I think it's good to gain knowledge from that team, with a winning car. We hope that their experience and knowledge will give us a few more tenths to be able to fight with the best eight cars.”

The VCARB 01 will adopt several elements derived from Red Bull, including the suspension

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

Compared to his teammate Daniel Ricciardo, who did not hide his ambitions and enthusiasm, underlining that he was aiming to reach the top 5 with a certain consistency, perhaps even entering the fight for the podium, the Japanese driver chose a low profile, aiming for better results. within reach. The objective is to reach the points zone permanently, they begin to fight with the best eight cars of the lot, therefore with Red Bull, Ferrari, Mercedes and McLaren based on the results of the second half of 2023. The challenge is open, because also Aston Martin wants to return to the top positions.

“Since there have been so many changes, with big names and so many people arriving, there are higher expectations. At the same time, this time it is more difficult to adapt, to be able to integrate all the people into one team. It's good to have many people in one team, but they also have to be in a certain condition to express themselves at their best and I think this will take time. I don't expect that from the first race we will have a super season,” said Tsunoda.

“Laurent [Mekies] is trying to be more realistic, they dedicate the first races of the championship to giving people the opportunity to adapt to the team, creating a strong base for the future. Then we hope that the car's performance will be positive.”

“The target [personale] the simpler thing is to be able to score more points than last season. I want to maintain the progress made last year, because I believe I have made a big step from 2022 to 2023. This is the most important target [a livello personale]”.