Honda manager has worked out how Yuki Tsunoda got so close to Liam Lawson’s pace at Racing Bulls

Yuki Tsunoda made a strong impression during his debut with Racing Bulls at the Dutch Grand Prix, finishing 11th after a late penalty affected his race. He stepped in for Liam Lawson, who was filling in for the injured Isack Hadjar, and managed to closely match Lawson's qualifying pace despite having no prior experience with the 2026 cars. Honda's Shinji Nakano noted Tsunoda's performance exceeded expectations, attributing it to the car's driver-friendly design and Tsunoda's motivation to impress potential teams for the future.

Racing Bulls have been focusing on creating a car that is easy to handle, a strategy shaped by past experiences with driver performance. Currently, they are the leading team in the midfield standings with 66 points. Both Tsunoda and Lawson are now waiting for updates regarding Hadjar's recovery and potential return to racing.