Tsunoda will make history at this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix as the first Japanese driver to reach 100 Grands Prix.
It will be his eighth race as a Red Bull driver, following his promotion to the senior team in place of Liam Lawson after the Chinese Grand Prix.
Since the switch, the Japanese driver has become the latest to struggle in Red Bull’s second seat, scoring just ten points.
In the same period, his teammate Max Verstappen has stood on the podium three times, including two wins, while Tsunoda’s former Racing Bulls teammate Isack Hadjar has impressed with five points finishes.
Tsunoda said the additional mileage from a two-day test in Barcelona, combined with simulator work at Milton Keynes, has boosted his confidence heading into the weekend.
“I had two solid days of testing in Barcelona following the race and have been on the sim in Milton Keynes too, so we have been working hard together and I have a lot more miles under my belt in a Red Bull Racing car now,” he said.
He also addressed his qualifying struggles, having reached Q3 just three times since joining Red Bull.
“After Spain, we must execute a better qualifying and we have put the work in to do that,” Tsunoda explained.
Since making his debut in 2021, Tsunoda showcased his skills as a consistent points scorer with Red Bull’s junior team, but was repeatedly overlooked for a promotion to the senior squad.
Initially passed over for the 2025 seat in favour of Lawson, Tsunoda was finally given his big break after the New Zealander struggled in his first two races of the season.
And despite the challenges he’s faced since joining Red Bull’s senior team, Tsunoda said he’s still looking forward to celebrating his 100th Grand Prix in Montreal this weekend.
“[It] feels a bit crazy,” Tsunoda said about the milestone. “It feels like I just started but also feels like this has always been my life.
“Every one of those 100 races has felt special and I feel lucky to be in the sport and I would love to mark my 100th race with a result to match the occasion.”
Tsunoda has scored 101 points across his first 99 races, with his best finish being fourth at the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
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