Tsunoda to test Red Bull in Abu Dhabi

In brief

Tsunoda to test Red Bull in Abu Dhabi

Asked if he believed Tsunoda, who has never tested a current-generation Red Bull F1 car, deserved an opportunity to, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner revealed Tsunoda will get that chance after the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

“Yuki is a member of the junior team,” Horner said. “It’s something that we have discussed with Honda.

“We gave Yuki a run up the hill at Goodwood earlier the year, that was unexpected, and he was the first driver to drive a current Formula 1 car in an open-faced helmet and goggles. So he will test the car again at the test following the conclusion of the season.

“It’s something that’s been agreed for quite some time and it will again be good to give him a run and get the opportunity to work with Red Bull Racing engineers and see how he performs in a Red Bull Racing car.”

Friday was “useless” – Verstappen

After failing to set a timed lap in the second practice session on Friday due to a power unit problem, Max Verstappen said he achieved almost nothing of use from the first day of the weekend in Mexico.

“From the engine side, we are checking,” he said. “I don’t know exactly what it is. But from my side a pretty much useless day. I did like four or five laps, so there’s not much to read into at the moment.

“I never really had a good run, only four or five laps in total and that’s even with some long run laps in it. So a day to forget.”

O’Ward happy to “feel useful” in Friday run

McLaren IndyCar driver Pato O’Ward says he felt “very useful” after completing a trouble-free run for the team in Lando Norris’s car in first practice.

O’Ward completed 21 laps – the most of any Friday stand-in driver – over the one-hour session, setting the 13th-fastest time.

“It was super-special,” he told the official F1 channel. “I was really looking forward to coming through the stadium section and seeing all the Mexican flags.

“It was a pretty hectic FP1, I would say. Pretty chaotic. So I was glad that we were able to get through our run plan. I was able to get the information that the team needed. So I feel very useful this weekend.”

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