Tsunoda approves 12th on Zandvoort Sprint grid: "Feel like a rookie again"

Key takeaways

Grid return: Yuki Tsunoda returned to the Racing Bulls starting lineup in Zandvoort, securing 12th position on the grid for the Sprint race.
Sudden recall: The Japanese driver received a last-minute call-up on Tuesday while on vacation in Greece to cover for Liam Lawson, who stepped up to Red Bull due to Isack Hadjar’s wrist injury.
New-car learning curve: Tsunoda noted that driving the 2026-generation car for the first time felt like “being a rookie again,” citing drastic differences in braking pressure and high-speed cornering balance.

Yuki Tsunoda admitted he felt like a rookie all over again upon returning to the Racing Bulls cockpit for Friday’s track action at Circuit Zandvoort. Drafted in on short notice for the Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix, the Japanese driver had to adapt quickly to the 2026-specification cars, ultimately finishing a respectable 12th in Sprint Qualifying.

Tsunoda’s return came about after Isack Hadjar sustained a wrist injury, prompting Red Bull to recall Liam Lawson and leaving a vacant seat at the Faenza-based team. Having spent four full seasons with the squad between 2021 and 2025, Tsunoda transitioned to a test and reserve role for 2026. After receiving the call to race on Tuesday while relaxing on a beach in Greece, he stepped into a 2026 car for the very first time without prior testing.

After finishing 17th in wet practice conditions, Tsunoda advanced to SQ2 during Sprint Qualifying, ending up just 0.009s behind Lawson in the Red Bull. Despite the quick turn, the driver acknowledged that adapting to the new regulations brought significant challenges.

“Especially in wet conditions, I was quite surprised by the pace I managed to find. I think it was also pretty much everyone’s first time in those conditions with the 2026 cars, so things were a bit more level,” Tsunoda stated.

“Considering it was my first time in this car, I was satisfied. But in the dry, I had a bit more work to do. To be honest, everything makes me feel like a rookie again. Brake pressure, everything is very different from previous years,” he continued.

F1 2026, PAISES BAIXOS, QUALY SPRINT, RACING BULLS, YUKI TSUNODA — Tsunoda reached SQ2 and will start 12th in the Dutch Sprint (Photo: Red Bull Content Pool)

“I need to adapt quickly. I drove last year’s car, which is probably one of the fastest in history, and I really enjoy driving it during TPC [Testing of Previous Cars] sessions. Coming into this car is a very different feeling, especially in high-speed corners,” he added.

Tsunoda also pointed out that the Sprint Qualifying format added an extra layer of difficulty due to limited tyre availability.

“You have two sets of tyres and you don’t want to ruin them right away. It was quite tricky. In the end, I’m fairly happy with the performance I had in Sprint Qualifying. Obviously, there are still things I can improve,” he explained.

“Zandvoort is a traditional track, there isn’t much runoff space, so you want to build up gradually. I like that process,” Tsunoda noted. “The main target is tomorrow’s main qualifying. So far, I think I’m building up well session by session. I’m excited to do a longer run tomorrow, because that’s what I need to gather all the data before qualifying and the race.”

Formula 1 action continues at Zandvoort with Saturday’s Sprint race, followed by main Qualifying for the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix. GRANDE PRÊMIO covers all track activities live from Zandvoort with reporter Leonid Kliuev. Follow all paddock updates on our news page.

Session schedule: Dutch Grand Prix 2026

Session	Local time (CEST)	UTC
Sprint Race	Saturday, August 22 – 12:00	10:00
Qualifying	Saturday, August 22 – 16:00	14:00
Race	Sunday, August 23 – 15:00	13:00

Broadcast guide: Where to watch in the United States

United States (Eastern Time / ET)
- Broadcaster: Apple TV
- Sprint Race: Saturday, August 22 – 06:00 ET
- Qualifying: Saturday, August 22 – 10:00 ET
- Race: Sunday, August 23 – 09:00 ET