Tsunoda: "We returned to the pits too late for the hard work"

AlphaTauri: no points at Suzuka

Liam Lawson’s placing in the points in Singapore, and above all the positive results achieved by both drivers of the Faenza team in qualifying in Suzuka, seemed to be the basis for a Japanese Grand Prix potentially top-10 for both the young New Zealander and home idol Yuki Tsunoda. A feasible objective, therefore, but only grazed: while Lawson achieved theeleventh positionyour teammate has arrived immediately behind him.

Lawson emerges in the challenge with Tsunoda

A failed feat for the 21-year-old from the Red Bull Junior Team, who from the Qatar GP will leave room (with good probability) for Daniel Ricciardo, who took over from Nyck de Vries during the current season but was almost immediately forced to stop due to the injury suffered in Holland. This concludes a first parenthesis in F1 which was anything but negative for the leader of the Super Formula championship, who thanks to his experience in the Japanese series arrived at Suzuka with greater knowledge of the track. While waiting to understand what his future will be, Lawson greeted the fans after one nice internal struggle between him and Tsunoda, resolved in favor of the Red Bull reserve driver: “We didn’t have the performance on the long run and we didn’t have the speed of the Alpines in front of us – admitted #40 – The team and I worked hard this weekend to maximize the sessions and made progress in each one. The fight with Yuki was aggressive, but I think it was a fair fight. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough, and I think neither of us had the pace to get into the top 10. I’m still trying to score points for the team and prove myself every time I get in the car, and I think I’ve succeeded.”

Disappointment for Tsunoda

Dissatisfaction expressed not only by Lawson, but also and above all by Tsunodawho would have liked to finish in the top ten in front of his compatriot audience: “It’s frustrating because the pace was there, but I didn’t have the opportunity to maximize it – he has declared – on this track it’s difficult to follow because the tires overheat very easily and I have the feeling that we were entered the pits too late due to the hard compound, so I was behind everyone and had to catch up with the group. I think that there was no chance of reaching tenth position. It’s a shame that I couldn’t do well and get a good result in front of the Japanese fans, but I got a lot of energy from them, so thanks to all the fans. In the end it is what it is.”