Tsunoda scored seventh in final weekend’s Miami Grand Prix, cementing RB’s sixth place within the constructors’ desk after team-mate Daniel Ricciardo scored fourth in Saturday’s dash.
Whereas Ricciardo had been struggling to stand up to hurry this 12 months within the VCARB01, Tsunoda picked up the baton because the workforce’s lead driver over the primary 5 races of the season, grabbing six factors in Australia and a hard-fought level on house soil in Japan.
And whereas the workforce had been laborious at work to make Ricciardo extra tuned into the automobile, workforce boss Mekies praised Tsunoda for making main progress in his fourth season.
“Yuki has made an enormous step this 12 months. In equity, he made a step between 12 months one and 12 months two, 12 months two and 12 months three. And I feel the step he’s making now between 12 months three and 12 months 4 is very large,” Mekies informed Motorsport.com.
“You see a driver now that is ready to not solely have the uncooked velocity, which we knew, and he elevated it much more now. However he can execute weekends with completely zero errors from FP1 to the race.
“It was the case in Australia, it was the case in Japan. And it was not removed from that in Miami, to be trustworthy.
Yuki Tsunoda, Visa Money App RB F1 Crew, on the grid
Picture by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Photos
“He has made an enormous step ahead and I feel there’s extra to return, so we’re working very laborious to verify we develop an surroundings the place he is ready to make these steps. We’re very impressed together with his work.”
Past executing error-free weekends, Tsunoda additionally impressed together with his extra level-headed manner this 12 months, which was a key space to work on after among the fiery radio messages that punctuated his first years within the collection.
“He’s getting higher [dealing] with the low factors,” Mekies acknowledged. “China was an excellent instance, he approached it in a rational manner and we analysed collectively and he hit the bottom operating in Miami.
“So sure, it is a massive step ahead. It is performed an enormous position in our present success and we expect there’s extra to return.
“You can even hear it on the radio. He’s enhancing inside and outdoors the automobile.”
