When it comes to Formula 1, few voices carry the weight of a former World Champion, and Jacques Villeneuve is never one to beat around the bush. The outspoken Canadian has recently stirred the pot by insisting that Red Bull is seriously “overprotecting” Yuki Tsunoda, a driver who has been praised more than some think he deserves. Let’s see what Villeneuve had to say and why this debate matters.
What Did Jacques Villeneuve Say?
First off, Villeneuve’s frustration is clear and unfiltered. In an era where Red Bull runs arguably one of the most dominant teams on the grid, their driver management is always under the microscope. Villeneuve expressed bafflement at how Red Bull constantly heaps praise on Tsunoda despite his inconsistent performances, especially after Laurent Mekies praised him for having the “best weekend” at the Mexico Grand Prix 2025.
He said, “I don’t understand how a team can say, ‘Oh, he’s had a good weekend’. Better than maybe other weekends he’s had, but is it a good weekend? He’s still very far off his teammate. He’s not bringing anything to the table either in pace, points for the team, or helping Max for the championship.”
Now, let’s rewind a bit and talk about Yuki Tsunoda for a moment. The Japanese driver joined Red Bull’s stable with significant hype around him as a rising star, flashy, fast, and full of promise. But the reality in 2025 has been a mixed bag.
Jacques Villeneuve’s point isn’t just that Tsunoda isn’t living up to expectations; it’s the way Red Bull is handling him that raises eyebrows. He said, “And he has a lot of experience. We’ve seen the best of him; he’s already on the way down, so it seems that they’re overprotecting him for some reason. But no, you can’t say that was a good weekend. It was maybe his least bad, but it wasn’t a good weekend.”
So, What Does This Mean For Yuki Tsunoda’s Future?
Jacques Villeneuve is blunt: Tsunoda must step up in performance. “It doesn’t matter if a driver has 20 years of racing. If he wasn’t good or good enough, he still won’t be good enough, and he still won’t help you to understand the new regulations. He still won’t help you to develop and test that car, so why would you put a known quantity that you know is not good enough?”
“In that case, you might as well go for the young rookie or left field, take someone and take a chance that will bring new energy and a new thought process to the team. What you already have, you know it won’t cut it,” he added
At the end of the day, if Tsunoda wants to prove he belongs in the big leagues with Red Bull, it’s time to show it where it counts, on the circuit, lap after lap, race after race. No more shields, no more safety nets. Just pure racecraft and results.
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