What a weekend it was at Suzuka! I’ve been following F1 for years, but there was something special in the air this time around. The buzz wasn’t just about the championship battle—it was about seeing Tsunoda in his new colors at his home race.
The Big Move
When the news broke that Tsunoda would be joining the main Red Bull team just days before Suzuka, I couldn’t believe the timing. Talk about pressure! The poor guy barely had time to get his seat fitted before he was thrown into the deep end at his home track.
I was watching practice sessions closely, and you could see he was still getting to grips with the car. It’s worlds apart from what he’s been driving at Racing Bulls, despite coming from the same family. Different handling, different procedures, different everything. The Japanese fans were incredible as always. I arrived early on Sunday and the queues for Tsunoda merchandise were insane. Everyone wanted a piece of history—the first Japanese driver in a top team for ages, racing at home.
But racing can be cruel. While Verstappen showed why he’s got those world championships to his name, fighting off those rapid McLarens (seriously, how fast are those orange cars these days?), Tsunoda struggled to make an impact.
The Reality Check
Watching from the stands, you could feel the collective disappointment when Tsunoda couldn’t break into the points. The 12th place finish tells only part of the story—he was actually running better at times but couldn’t maintain it over race distance.
“I’m disappointed,” he told the media afterward, looking completely drained. “I wanted to give everyone something to cheer about.”
Still, some perspective is needed. It was actually the best result for that car since Perez’s 10th in Vegas last November. The second Red Bull seat has been a poisoned chalice lately.
Not the Only Story
Meanwhile, that kid Antonelli was making history over at Mercedes. Barely out of school and he’s already leading an F1 race and setting fastest laps! When I was 18, I was struggling to parallel park, and he’s out there making the veterans look ordinary.
His radio message after setting fastest lap was priceless—so casual, like he was ordering takeout rather than making F1 history.
Weather Woes
The spring date for Suzuka is still something I’m getting used to. The cherry blossoms make for gorgeous photos, but those trackside fires during practice were concerning. I was sitting near Turn 2 when one started, and the marshals did an amazing job containing it quickly.
Better than the autumn typhoon season, I suppose, but definitely something for the organizers to think about for next year.
Looking Ahead
For Tsunoda, this weekend will hurt, but it’s just one race. The team clearly sees something in him, and getting this chance mid-season was always going to be tough. Shanghai’s up next—another technical track, but at least without the weight of a nation’s expectations on his shoulders.
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither are F1 careers. I’ve got a feeling his home race breakthrough will come—just not this weekend.
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