Japanese Formula 1 (F1) driver Yuki Tsunoda will make his Red Bull Racing debut at the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday. The team demoted New Zealander Liam Lawson after poor qualifying and race performances in the season's first two grands prix. Lawson's struggles certainly haven't helped, but Red Bull's downturn started before he took over the team's second seat—and sporting regulations may be to blame.
F1 teams develop their cars (two cars and two drivers per team) under a strict regulatory framework set each year by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), aimed at balancing competition, improving safety, and enhancing sustainability. These regulations evolve constantly, forcing teams to adapt their designs and strategies.
In 2024, the most significant changes in the FIA's regulations were the simplification of front wings, a revised underbody design to enhance downforce, and modifications aimed at reducing air turbulence. These adjustments, meant to level the playing field, disrupted Red Bull's aerodynamic advantage after a dominant 2023 season, slowing down its vehicles.
Hermann Fuchs Ojeda, a mechanical engineer with racing car experience, tells Reason these changes were "definitive" in negatively impacting Red Bull's performance. Ojeda says the FIA required teams to use advanced electronic systems to help control braking and turning, as well as a feature that lets drivers slightly adjust the height of the car's front end while driving. This made the cars more unsteady and unmanageable.
For Red Bull to be competitive, Ojeda says, the team "needs two winning cars to be contenders for the constructors championship in F1." Otherwise, McLaren is a shoo-in favorite. But thus far, the team has configured its vehicles to suit its main driver, Max Verstappen.
At the end of last season, Mexican driver Sergio "Checo" Perez couldn't keep up with teammate Verstappen. As a result, the team finished a disappointing third in the constructors' standings. Even as the team's engineersadmitted that their car did not perform as expected, Red Bull chose to replace Perez with Lawson, shifting the focus from the car's flaws. Now even Verstappen can't mask Red Bull's struggles, with Lando Norris a clear favorite to win the drivers' championship.
Red Bull has faced a series of setbacks. But instead of rethinking the car, they replace the driver.
Ojeda says Tsunoda could be the "ideal" person to drive a technically inadequate Red Bull with engineering developments dedicated exclusively to Verstappen's preferences. We'll see how Tsunoda performs ...
