Yuki Tsunoda’s Red Bull career got off to a difficult start on Saturday, with the Japanese driver failing to put his car into the final qualifying stage for the Japanese Grand Prix.
Tsunoda will start back in 15th at Suzuka Circuit on Sunday after a scruffy lap in the second qualifying stage.
The 24-year-old was only put in the Red Bull seat late last month, moving up from Racing Bulls to take the place of the struggling Liam Lawson. Lawson, now in the Racing Bulls car, outqualified Tsunoda on Saturday and will start 14th.
A trackside fire briefly suspended the second qualifying session, an issue that has plagued the Japanese Grand Prix over the past two days. The grass around the circuit is particularly dry this year and cars going off track have sparked a series of fires throughout the race weekend. With rain in the forecast Sunday morning, the issue is unlikely to affect the race.