From a high-speed crash towards the end of the Q3 session, which brought the red flags out, to a points-scoring finish on Sunday. For RB F1’s Yuki Tsunoda, the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix weekend was full of highs and lows.
While trying to put a lap together in the final minutes of the Q3 session of Hungarian GP Qualifying, Tsunoda ran wide in Turn 5 and as a result his VCARB-01 got launched into the air due to the nature of the grassy run-off and collided heavily with a barrier.
Yet, Tsunoda started the race in P10 thanks to outstanding work by the mechanics who put everything back together, went on a one-stop strategy and made it work. He brought home the haul of two points for the Faenza-based team as he finished the race with a P9.
The 24-year-old extended his stint on the medium tyres he started the race with. The RB F1 driver pitted on lap 29 and switched to hards, which he took to the chequered flag, brilliantly holding off Lance Stroll on 16-lap younger tyres in the final laps.
“To be honest, we didn’t expect to do a one-stop,” Tsunoda said.
“I think, yeah, to be fair, we did a really good job with tyre management, and obviously, suggestions from the engineers and everything, we communicated well, and those things, in the end, played [out] very, very good.”
The turnaround of Tsunoda’s VCARB-01 being put back together was commendable. Evidently being satisfied with his race, Tsunoda thanked his team and mechanics who did all the repair work after the Saturday’s Q3 crash.
Tsunoda states that the Sunday’s result would not be here, had it not been for his mechanics’ hardwork. However, all the efforts did pay off, with the P9 finish.
“I’m very happy with my race and obviously big credit to the team and mechanics who repaired [the car] very fast and precisely overnight, without that I wouldn’t be here.
“And, I mean, yeah, big thanks for them.”
Focusing ahead on the challenge of the Belgian hills, Tsunoda knows it’s a completely different challenge.
RB has struggled at high-speed venues recently, and this will be a test for them to see if they’ve understood their updates fully.
“Car is in a good shape, which is the most important thing. Obviously the next race is Spa, it’s a completely different track.
“We can’t expect anything more or less. We maximise our pace as much as we can.”
