Yuki Tsunoda has a clear objective from Red Bull team principal Christian Horner—stay as close as possible to Max Verstappen. The 24-year-old Japanese driver, who recently replaced Liam Lawson, is set for his first race alongside the four-time world champion at Suzuka.
Tsunoda was announced as Liam Lawson’s replacement last week after the New Zealander was dropped just two races into the season.
This weekend, he will partner Verstappen for the first time, competing in front of his home crowd at Suzuka. Red Bull, currently third in the constructors’ standings after two races, has tasked Tsunoda with finishing as near as possible to Verstappen to strengthen the team’s position.
Verstappen currently sits second in the drivers' championship, trailing McLaren’s Lando Norris by eight points.
"Tsunoda explained that Red Bull Racing’s main focus is securing a championship for Max. While the team has faced some challenges, Verstappen has proven his ability to be a world champion," he stated.
Tsunoda also shared that Horner expects him to match Verstappen’s pace as closely as possible. While he may play a strategic role in some races, Horner assured him that if he finds himself ahead of Verstappen in certain situations, he won’t necessarily be asked to give up his position.
Lawson, who had been promoted to Red Bull’s main team for the 2025 season, was reassigned to Racing Bulls after disappointing performances in the Australian and Chinese Grands Prix. The New Zealander struggled in Melbourne, qualifying 18th before crashing out of the race, and had a difficult weekend in China, qualifying last for both the sprint and the main event before finishing 14th and 12th, respectively.
Verstappen appeared to express disagreement with Lawson’s demotion by ‘liking’ an Instagram post from former F1 driver Giedo van der Garde, who described the decision as a "panic move."
Tsunoda, who had been part of Red Bull’s second team since his F1 debut in 2021, revealed he has yet to speak to Verstappen since stepping into Lawson’s seat.
"I mentioned it a while ago, but he’s quite different in how he acts inside and outside the car," Tsunoda remarked. "I’m not too concerned about our relationship on or off the track. I know what I want to do, and I have a good idea of how he thinks and drives."
As he prepares for his home grand prix on Sunday, Tsunoda remains realistic about his expectations, stating that securing a top-10 finish would be a satisfying result.
"Of course, I’d love to say I’m aiming for points, a podium, or something bigger," he said. "But considering the challenge of adapting to a new car with limited sessions, it won’t be easy. For now, if I can score points and finish in the top 10, I’ll be happy."
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As the Ukraine war is highlighted by some leaders during the United Nations' 81st General Assembly meeting in New York, Russian forces attacked the Ukrainian capital Kyiv early on Thursday with ballistic missiles, killing two people and injuring six, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in New York on Wednesday, as Washington pushes for an end to the war in Ukraine and Kyiv and Moscow continue to strike energy infrastructure.
U.S. President Donald Trump said his team held a three-hour meeting with an Iranian delegation in New York that he described as “very good” and “productive”, with another round of talks scheduled soon.
The 81st UN General Assembly continues in New York on Wednesday, with another day of high-level speeches and diplomatic meetings. The wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, global security and international cooperation remain at the centre of discussions.
As the Ukraine war is highlighted by some leaders during the United Nations' 81st General Assembly meeting in New York, Russian forces attacked the Ukrainian capital Kyiv early on Thursday with ballistic missiles, killing two people and injuring six, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.
The 81st UN General Assembly returns for its third day in New York on Thursday, with world leaders delivering high-level speeches and holding diplomatic meetings. Restoring trust, managing global transformation, peace and security, and international cooperation remain at the centre of discussions.
Australia says an OpenAI AI agent gained unauthorised access to a government Medicare statistics portal in June, in what officials say could be an unprecedented case of an AI system breaching a government network.
Pakistan says it carried out air strikes on 10 locations in Afghanistan on Thursday, targeting sites it said were used to store and launch drones, as tensions between the two neighbouring countries continued to escalate.
Here’s your AnewZ Daily Brief for 24 September 2026, with five key developments from the second day of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.
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