Yuki Tsunoda found the Red Bull car more challenging than anticipated during his initial practice at the Japanese Grand Prix. Promoted from Racing Bulls to replace Liam Lawson, who hadn't scored in his first two races, Tsunoda initially performed well. He finished just behind Max Verstappen, but later struggled in a disrupted second session, ending 18th without completing a qualifying simulation on soft tyres.Tsunoda acknowledged that the RB21 felt different from the simulator experience. "It's a bit different to the simulator, what I felt," he noted. The real car was trickier than expected. Despite this, he remained optimistic about improving with engineers' help. "FP1 was better than expected. A good start for myself," he said, though FP2 left much to be desired.On the other side of the garage, Max Verstappen also faced difficulties with the RB21's balance. This has been an ongoing issue for Red Bull recently. Verstappen finished eighth in the second practice session, highlighting their struggles as Racing Bulls outperformed them. Isack Hadjar and Lawson secured third and fifth places respectively.Verstappen described Friday as challenging due to multiple red flags disrupting practice. "Today has been quite difficult for me," he admitted. They tried various adjustments but nothing seemed to work effectively. Confidence is crucial here, and Verstappen felt it was lacking, indicating more work ahead.Tsunoda's promotion came after Lawson's brief stint raised questions about the RB21's drivability. Tsunoda planned to collaborate closely with engineers on Friday to address these concerns. Although FP1 showed promise, FP2 revealed areas needing improvement as he sought greater confidence in handling.

Tsunoda had expressed enthusiasm earlier in the week about driving the RB21 on a simulator, believing it suited his style. However, real-world conditions proved more complex than simulated ones. He aimed to build confidence through data analysis and collaboration with his team.The Japanese driver remains focused on adapting to Red Bull's car dynamics despite initial challenges. Both Tsunoda and Verstappen are determined to improve performance by addressing balance issues and enhancing their confidence on track during upcoming sessions.