Yuki Tsunoda Blames Lando Norris for Preventing Liam Lawson Move

Yuki Tsunoda celebrated a standout performance at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, claiming sixth place and earning eight valuable championship points.



This marked his best finish in Formula 1 since achieving fourth place at Abu Dhabi in 2021.



The Japanese driver engaged in a gripping late-race battle with former Red Bull teammate Liam Lawson, adding drama to the closing stages of the event.



However, Tsunoda admitted he had to restrain his instincts to avoid a risky “hero” move that could have endangered Red Bull’s strong showing.



A Close Duel with Lawson



After Tsunoda’s pit stop on lap 38 of 51, he found himself in hot pursuit of Lawson.



The two drivers battled for position just ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton.



Lawson’s warmer tyres gave him an edge over Tsunoda’s fresher rubber, allowing the Kiwi to finish just half a second ahead.



Despite the temptation to push hard in the final laps, Tsunoda recognized the importance of measured aggression.



“I had a lot of emotions that I wanted to overtake, and so some hero thing, some hero stuff in overtaking, but yeah, [I told myself to] slow down,” he said.



“I couldn’t do some aggressive manoeuvre and lose position to Lando, it matters for Red Bull as a team being ahead of McLaren. The most important thing is to be ahead of McLaren, and both cars were in front.”



Tsunoda reflected on the race, noting that a slightly faster exit from his tyre change could have allowed him to hold Lawson behind.



“In the second stint, unfortunately, if I was able to rejoin two metres faster, probably I would have been able to keep Liam behind,” he explained.



Progress Over the Weekend



The Japanese driver praised the team’s strategy and highlighted improvements in car setup.



“I’m happy with the fantastic job with the strategy, and something I was able to improve into this week was the long run, which was massive. And I was also internally supported by the team to make changes to the car, which affected the long runs. So yeah, it was just good,” Tsunoda said.



This sixth-place finish not only marked a personal milestone for Tsunoda but also demonstrated a growing maturity in balancing aggression with tactical awareness.



As he continues to settle into his role at Red Bull Racing, these traits are expected to be crucial for future success.



Tsunoda’s performance in Baku underscores his development as a driver capable of combining raw speed with strategic thinking, a balance that could yield further strong results for the team this season.
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