Overview

• Tsunoda has scored just seven championship points through seven races and routinely trails teammate Max Verstappen by 0.5 to 1 second in qualifying sessions.
• After his Imola crash, Tsunoda was relegated to an older RB21 specification in Monaco and Barcelona, delaying his exposure to critical car upgrades.
• Engineers point to the RB21’s narrow setup window and unpredictable handling at the limit as persistent hurdles for the team’s second driver.
• Horner insists Tsunoda needs more time to adapt but concedes pressure will mount before he returns to equal-spec machinery at the Canadian Grand Prix.
• Despite qualifying struggles, Tsunoda has leveraged the RB21’s steadier behavior during race stints to convert two standing starts into points finishes.