Tsunoda points to Red Bull ‘pub’ tone after F1 test

Yuki Tsunoda has detailed where the Red Bull team differs from its sister RB squad.

Tsunoda has spent the last four seasons racing for RB, which previously ran under the AlphaTauri moniker from 2021 to the end of 2023.

Red Bull recently handed the Japanese driver an outing at the post-season Abu Dhabi test, with Tsunoda asserting he impressed the Milton Keynes-based squad.

The test came as speculation mounts over Red Bull’s driver line-up for 2025, with Tsunoda’s current team-mate Liam Lawson tipped to replace Sergio Perez ahead of the new season.

Having experienced official F1 sessions with both teams, Tsunoda highlighted Red Bull has more of a “pub” atmosphere. 

“Even though the two teams are quite different, there are some similarities, particularly in the positive atmosphere,” he said at the Honda Racing season finale event.

“Our team feels very Italian–friendly with lots of physical gestures and interactions. Meanwhile, Red Bull also has a very energetic vibe, almost like being in a pub.”

However, the 24-year-old outlined Red Bull has a tendency to delve deeper into the feedback he gives regarding the car.

“If I were to give one example regarding the engineering process, Red Bull digs deeper into every comment I make,” he said. “They don’t miss anything I mention, asking very detailed follow-up questions to explore even more specifics.

“While they have this energetic image when it comes to engineering and the car, they’re incredibly thorough and detail-oriented. 

“In a way, I think this precision aligns with the attention to detail often associated with Japanese people.

“I also felt a strong energy where everyone freely shares and exchanges comments without hesitation. That’s not to say our team doesn’t have that, but I think it’s an area where the two teams differ slightly.”