Featured Image Credit: Getty / F1
Topics: Red Bull Racing, Formula 1, Spain
Ryan Smart
Yuki Tsunoda's team radio message to Red Bull after qualifying 20th and last for the Spanish Grand Prix speaks volumes.
The Japanese driver was knocked out of Q1 for the second time in two weeks, after suffering a crash at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix earlier this month.
He set a lap time nearly six tenths slower than team-mate Max Verstappen, who was third in Q1.
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But with only eight tenths covering the entire field, Tsunoda was comfortably slower than the time needed to get him out of the first session.
His qualifying form continues a common theme this season, where the second Red Bull - driven by Tsunoda or Liam Lawson - is unable to get close to the times set by Verstappen.
The Japanese driver has shown strong race pace, but will once again need to surge through the field if he wants to score any points.
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And his team radio message to race engineer Richard Wood has got fans of the Red Bull driver worrying.
After setting his final lap of the session, Tsunoda commented: "Wow... honestly. I mean, that was a pretty clean lap. Yep."
The 25-year-old had complained earlier in Q1 about the balance of his car, and asked his team to check the underfloor after his first run.
But the apparent acknowledgement that he could have done little more on his second run will no doubt be a major concern.
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Tsunoda had a superb start to the season with Racing Bulls and could have scored points in both races before being swapped with Lawson.
But like the Kiwi, and Sergio Perez before him last season, Tsunoda has significantly struggled in a car that is primarily configured around the driving style of number one driver Verstappen.
The gulf is emphasised by the points hauls this season, with Verstappen picking up 136 of Red Bull's 144 points.