Hiroki Tsunoda described the experience of aiding Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen in securing a vital pole position at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as “very stressful.” Verstappen kept his championship hopes alive by outqualifying McLaren’s contenders Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in the final qualifying session for the season-ending race.
Tsunoda, following Red Bull’s directive, used a slipstream on the back straight during the first lap of Q3 to help Verstappen. Although Verstappen improved his time on his last run without Tsunoda’s assistance, the Japanese driver had just made it to the final qualifying stage. Tsunoda revealed that after a crash involving Dennis Antonelli, his team had to revert to an older car floor, which significantly reduced their qualifying performance, making it challenging to advance beyond Q3.
Despite feeling intense pressure while towing Verstappen—needing to maintain an exact distance without getting too close or too far—Tsunoda felt relieved to have performed well and received positive feedback from his team. Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko praised Tsunoda’s efforts, saying the slipstreaming tactic worked perfectly and signaling improving performance.
With Verstappen holding a 12-point lead over Norris, he needs Norris to finish at least fourth or better and win the race to secure his fifth consecutive world championship. Tsunoda affirmed his commitment to support Verstappen’s title bid, even if it means compromising his own race strategy. Red Bull has also announced that Izak Hajjar will succeed Tsunoda as Verstappen’s teammate for the next season.
Fan Take: This story highlights the crucial teamwork and pressure behind-the-scenes in Formula 1, emphasizing how even small actions can impact championship outcomes. For racing fans, it underscores the drama and strategic depth of the sport, where every lap and teammate collaboration can change the course of history.
