As the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix unfolded beneath the neon-lit desert sky, the spectacle promised unpredictability and thrills. Yet, for Yuki Tsunoda and his Visa Cash App RB team, the weekend delivered a mix of frustration, missed chances, and mounting pressure — a narrative that’s grown familiar in this demanding 2023 Formula 1 campaign. Tsunoda, who’s carved a reputation for tenacity and raw pace, found some of his worst fears realized as a combination of operational missteps and cruel fortune kept the Japanese driver from scoring points, despite flashes of underlying speed.
From the outset, Tsunoda’s weekend was riddled with complications. After showing promising pace in free practice, qualifying did not materialize into a strong grid position, partly due to technical gremlins that have too often haunted the Faenza-based squad this season. The Japanese ace was left punching from the back, tasked with making his way through a chaotic midfield. True to form, Tsunoda fought valiantly through the early laps, but his strategy and car issues conspired against him. A misjudged tyre stint, compounded by traffic and a lack of safety car fortune, left him on the back foot while his rivals capitalized on opportunities.
The culmination was a DNF — Tsunoda was ultimately forced to retire late in the race due to an overheating issue, symbolizing the string of luckless events shadowing his 2023 campaign. After exiting the car, his frustration was visible and understandable. Tsunoda lamented the situation, highlighting that while driver errors have occasionally crept in, the trend of missed strategic windows, pit stop delays, and car reliability problems have become a recurring theme he’s desperate to end.
For Tsunoda, whose third season in Formula 1 should be about consistency and evolution, these persistent setbacks could weigh heavily. The young Honda protégé has always worn his heart on his sleeve — his radio outbursts and post-race candor have earned both fan admiration and team urgency. This latest disappointment in Las Vegas drew sharp, introspective critique from Tsunoda. “We just can’t keep going like this,” he remarked, emphasizing both the team’s responsibility to iron out operational errors and his own need to avoid driving mistakes. He’s acutely aware that opportunities for points, particularly in F1’s cruel midfield, are precious and often fleeting.
Despite this, there were slivers of optimism to extract. When the car behaved, Tsunoda looked competitive, maneuvering with aggression and intelligence in a confusing race that saw many drivers trip up. The RB team, buoyed by AlphaTauri’s recent upturn in form before Vegas, had reason to believe in a stronger outing. However, the Las Vegas Street Circuit, with its long straights and delicate grip, proved an unforgiving stage for teams unable to maximize both qualifying and race execution.
With just one race remaining in the season, Tsunoda’s focus has already shifted to Abu Dhabi. He knows he must deliver a faultless performance while relying on the team to eradicate the “unlucky” element that’s plagued them. For the wider paddock, the question lingers — will Red Bull’s junior squad turn fleeting pace into tangible results, or will they continue to squander potential? For Tsunoda, whose contract and future ambitions may well hinge on the impression he leaves in these final races, the stakes are high.
Hungarian F1 fans, who have developed respect for Tsunoda’s fiery personality and relentless racing spirit, will be watching with keen eyes. In many ways, his journey mirrors that of all underdog teams in Formula 1 — flashes of brilliance undermined by the tiniest missteps and strokes of bad luck. Yet, if recent races have proven anything, it’s that the battle for midfield supremacy is relentless, and one clean weekend could make all the difference.
