Without any pre-season testing in the RB21, Yuki Tsunoda is essentially heading into this weekend’s Japanese GP blind. He only has three hours to familiarise himself with a Red Bull that is developing a notorious reputation for its handling.

Barely three months ago, Yuki Tsunoda’s window to drive for Red Bull Racing in Formula One appeared to have closed. Despite putting forward a strong case through the 2024 season for its sister team, RB, Red Bull passed over Tsunoda when replacing Sergio Pérez. Instead, it promoted Tsunoda’s teammate Liam Lawson into the seat.

Yuki Tsunoda's elevation to a Red Bull seat in time for his home Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka this weekend has changed the whole dynamic of the third round of a Formula One season so far dominated by McLaren.

Since making the decision to replace Liam Lawson with Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull have scrambled to try and control the narrative. For obvious reasons, the Austrian team’s driver management is being called into question.

That is the claim put forward by Red Bull senior advisor Helmut Marko, who recalled how Tsunoda cost Verstappen victory at the Mexican Grand Prix and left Newey “furious”. Yuk