It doesn’t really stack up

Just below six tenths of a second separated Purple Bull duo Max Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda within the first phase of qualifying for the Spanish Grand Prix – nevertheless it was sufficient for the Japanese Formulation 1 driver to be eradicated in final.

It was one other depressing afternoon for Tsunoda, who said after Friday’s practice sessions “I have no idea why I am slow”. What was extra baffling for him after qualifying was that he felt his laps had been cleaner – simply nonetheless not quick.

Throughout Q1 he requested the group to “examine the ground” as a result of he had ridden over the exit of Flip 13 fairly aggressively, nevertheless it’s understood this didn’t truly trigger any harm.

“I do not suppose it is the set-up,” stated Tsunoda, who is ready to begin his seventh grand prix for Purple Bull since transferring from sister squad Racing Bulls. “As a result of to be sincere, we tried virtually each set-up.

“There’s clearly some desire right here and there, however I feel I am nonetheless satisfied that we’re capable of no less than put all of it collectively when it comes to the automotive steadiness. And like I stated, the automotive steadiness itself just isn’t unhealthy, and no less than additionally my confidence was there.

“The lap in qualifying on each [sets of] tyres, particularly the final push, was fairly good, so it does not actually stack up with my outcomes and with the tempo that I am having.”

All through the weekend Tsunoda has complained about his RB21 sliding throughout each axles and suggesting the automotive has a “core limitation” he has been unable to resolve by set-up adjustments.

He has additionally alluded to an inexplicable – for him – drop-off in efficiency throughout earlier weekends.

“The final two grands prix, some classes I used to be matching or a bit quicker than Max and all of the sudden it drops like hell,” Tsunoda added. “Even within the lengthy runs [this weekend] was an excellent instance. No matter I do, nothing occurs and it appears like this automotive is consuming the tyres like hell, having degradation massively.

“It does not actually stack up and I feel the core limitation continues to be there. I do not know what it’s and I am unable to actually have any reply for that.”

Tsunoda has not all the time been on the identical aerodynamic spec as Verstappen for the reason that group has naturally prioritised its world champion when it comes to producing new elements. Verstappen received the most recent flooring in Miami, and a tranche of different small updates at Imola.

Though Tsunoda obtained the brand new flooring at Imola, Purple Bull was obscure about whether or not he had the opposite new elements – and the query was rendered moot when he crashed in qualifying there, requiring a brand new automotive to be constructed up round a spare ‘tub’ with older elements, together with the previous-spec flooring.

It’s understood that Tsunoda is continuous to make use of that in Barcelona, although that is unlikely to account solely for such a disparity in lap time and dealing with traits.

Max Verstappen, Purple Bull Racing, Yuki Tsunoda, Purple Bull Racing Group

Photograph by: Peter Fox / Getty Pictures

“The efficiency is disappointing,” Purple Bull driver advisor Helmut Marko instructed Sky Germany. “On Friday he was comparatively near Max.

“And now in qualifying, nothing labored in any respect. And to complete final – even when the automotive isn’t solely an identical – is one thing we have to query internally.”

Isack Hadjar, Tsunoda’s team-mate in the beginning of the season, added: “Yuki is certainly value greater than a P20, that is for positive.

“In fact, I do not actually know what he is going by in the mean time. As a result of I’ve by no means been on the opposite facet of the storage. However yeah, he must hold pushing, I suppose. He is positively not a P20 man.”

Automobiles experiencing sliding throughout each axles wasn’t a phenomenon unique to Tsunoda’s RB21. In Pirelli’s common Friday afternoon briefing, chief engineer Simone Berra stated low grip, and sliding entrance and rear, was comparatively widespread – albeit on the hard-compound C1 tyre. For Tsunoda to be anxious by it on different compounds factors to a extra deep-seated drawback.

Groups usually arrange automobiles with a slight understeer steadiness in an effort to defend the rear tyres from thermal degradation, particularly at tracks similar to Barcelona the place there are corners requiring onerous acceleration on the exit.

However that comes with more durable trade-offs right here for the reason that quick corners place lots of stress on the outside-front tyre, all of the extra so for the reason that closing chicane was eliminated for the 2023 race.

Yuki Tsunoda, Purple Bull Racing Group

Photograph by: Peter Fox / Getty Pictures

That introduces put on into the combination, on high of thermal degradation brought on by the entrance axle sliding. Discovering a candy spot is difficult and it appears Tsunoda is operating out of attainable set-up permutations to find it.

“We did virtually every little thing [on set-up],” he stated. “Precisely the identical, simply 4 wheels sliding round. We now have to debate, however I am unable to see what sort of set-up will make the sport change.”