Yuki Tsunoda may have to say goodbye to the second Red Bull seat, but he will not do so without praising Gianpiero Lambiase. Although the Brit is Max Verstappen’s regular racing engineer, Tsunoda also worked with Lambiase last year. The Japanese is particularly impressed by the way of communication between the Dutchman and his racing engineer: ‘You hear how efficiently everything runs’.
Yuki Tsunoda has driven his last race – for now – for Red Bull, after being Max Verstappen’s teammate for an entire season. The Japanese lost almost every Grand Prix next to the four-time world champion, but was also able to learn from him. For example, the current Red Bull reserve driver was particularly impressed by Verstappen’s relationship with racing engineer Gianpiero Lambiase.
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“GP (Lambiase, ed.) is honestly one of the most impressive engineers I have ever worked with,” Tsunoda told DAZN Japan. “His ideas are great.” The Japanese explains that Lambiase also works with the second Red Bull driver within the garage. “He also oversees my chassis, but when Max is struggling with something, that is of course the priority.”
Efficiency
Although Tsunoda was certainly happy with his own team of engineers – “they are very skilled” – he saw how experience plays a major role in good communication between Verstappen and Lambiase. “I listened to how GP and Max communicated with each other during the first free practice, and that is completely different. You hear how efficiently everything runs. I also wanted to achieve that level of communication. If you have to discuss something with someone else first, you are automatically one step behind,” the driver concludes.
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Not one, but two editions to end 2025! In addition to the double-thick ‘Year of Max’ (124 pages), the 172-page FORMULA 1 Yearbook 2025 is now also available in stores (or at your home as a subscriber). Relive the season with team and driver analyses, facts and figures and the best themed stories from all Grands Prix! Don’t miss it! (can also be ordered online, with free delivery in the Netherlands!)
