Yuki Tsunoda’s Las Vegas Grand Prix turned into another difficult chapter in his 2025 Formula 1 season, with the Japanese driver expressing that “everything is going against” him after a race filled with setbacks. His weekend never found momentum, even though his pace showed promise in earlier sessions.
The issues started in qualifying when Red Bull admitted to mismanaging his tyre pressures, leaving Tsunoda only 19th on the grid. The team then chose to break parc ferme regulations to adjust his RB21’s configuration and install a new power unit, forcing him to begin the race from the pitlane.
Strategy Unravels After Mistimed Pit Stop
Tsunoda’s race plan fell apart almost immediately. He switched from mediums to hards on the opening lap, hoping to escape dirty air and run long. However, a virtual safety car was deployed moments after his stop, handing free time to two rivals who stopped later. What was meant to be an early advantage placed him deeper in traffic.
Reflecting on the turning point, Tsunoda said, “The thing is, the safety car came in right after I pitted, so it’s not ideal. What we were trying to achieve with that was trying to get off dirty air, but the safety car came in and multiple people just rejoined the track in front of me, so there were no points.”
Even with those who pitted around the same time behind him at the flag, he still finished far from the points — ultimately classified 12th after both McLarens were disqualified.
Tsunoda Says Luck Is Deserting Him
Visibly drained, Yuki Tsunoda described the entire weekend as one long setback. “It feels like everything so far is going against me, the luck and everything,” he said. “I don’t like the word luck, but this weekend feels like it’s really bad luck. It’s a shame and frustrating that I wasn’t able to use my pace until qualifying. Just throwing it away.”
He suggested that, without the virtual safety car, he might have been “close to the points,” insisting, “I lost so much time with that,” before reviewing the race data.
The disappointing outing kept him in 17th place in the standings, while his team-mate Max Verstappen continued his title charge with another strong victory.
Trying to stay positive, Tsunoda pointed to at least one small benefit from the weekend. “At least we changed the engine; something to look forward to for the next few grands prix,” he said. When asked if the new unit could help in the closing rounds, he added, “I hope so. I think it’s performing better than what we were seeing before. We have to qualify properly, but it seems like it.”
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