Verstappen gives Tsunoda assessment with pancake claim

Four-time Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen has issued a surprising verdict over the abilities of his Red Bull team-mate Yuki Tsunoda.

Christian Horner's F1 driver duo will be likely to have two very different race experiences during Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix as Verstappen starts from P3 and Tsunoda lines up plum last in P20.

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Verstappen has complained of the difficulties he faces this season piloting the infamously tricky RB21 which already defeated Liam Lawson and is now starting to trigger questions over Tsunoda's future as he also appears to have failed to overcome the challenge of inhabiting the second Red Bull seat.

Tsunoda's dismal Q1 exit on Saturday came as a shock even to him, the Japanese racer taking to team radio to express his confusion having completed a clean lap in his mind.

The 25-year-old even finished behind Franco Colapinto who failed to complete the session having experienced an issue which saw him forced to abandon his Alpine in the pit-lane.

Despite questions over Tsunoda's future already circulating thanks to his recent struggles, Verstappen has now rushed to the defence of his team-mate after the shock P20 result in qualifying.

Speaking to media after Saturday's session in Barcelona, Verstappen said: "Yuki is no pancake."

"This has obviously been going on for a long time. Maybe that is also a sign.

"Of what? You can fill in that yourself," seemingly referring to the driveability, or lack thereof, of the RB21.

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The Dutchman had to accept defeat on Saturday as McLaren locked out the front row for the first time at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya since 1998, with the papaya outfit going from strength to strength despite the FIA's clampdown on flexi-wings at the ninth championship round.

Red Bull had hoped the new technical directive introduced in Spain by F1's governing body would reduce McLaren's lead at the top of the constructors' standings, but so far, that does not look likely to happen anytime soon.

It is not out of the question for Verstappen to pull off a characteristically bold lunge to overtake Lando Norris for P2 off the starting line on Sunday, but given McLaren's pace in 2025, a victory would prove a challenge.

At the circuit where the grand prix has been won from pole position 24 times at the last 34 races, the reigning champion has his work cut out, but what could prove even more costly for Red Bull in Barcelona is Tsunoda's near-impossible feat of making it up into the points.

With Ferrari just one point behind them in the constructors' standings ahead of Sunday, Verstappen's claims over the state of their car could prove costly for Red Bull and an issue which is only going to get worse.

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