F1 News: Tsunoda and Lawson prove F1 drivers can ace dirt tracks

Experts at finessing top speeds in Formula One, Visa Cash App RB F1 drivers Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson take on an unfamiliar style of driving – which couldn’t be further from handling an aerodynamically precise F1 car – in a series of challenges in NASCAR-style stock cars. (See video below)

Taking to a dirt oval track in Texas, Yuki and Liam were joined by NASCAR professionals, Connor Zilisch and Shane van Gisbergen, to coach them. With the help from the stock car ringers, Yuki and Liam were able find a seamless execution of steering, counter-steering, braking, throttle, and finding grip on the unfamiliar dirt oval.

F1 driver Liam Lawson competes at Red Bull F1 Drivers vs. Stock Car Challenge in Austin, Texas, USA on October 16, 2024. // Chris Tedesco / Red Bull Content Pool

Stock car racing has a rich history in American motorsport and maintains a continued surge of popularity. This racing crossover comes as the Team gears up for the Las Vegas Grand Prix, with first track action taking place on 21st November.

In a classroom-style session, Yuki and Liam were introduced to three challenges, before a final winner-takes-all head-to-head race. It’s in this briefing that they learn dirt stock cars have only three brakes, finding themselves without a front right brake, due to the nature of oval circuits.

F1 drivers Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda at the Cotton Bowl Speedway in Paige, TX, USA on 16 October, 2024. // Garth Milan / Red Bull Content Pool

Shane van Gisbergen gave the F1 drivers his advice before the challenge, “Rely on the brake and the throttle more than the steering to guide the car’s direction.”

Challenge One: Find the Line

Six sets of cones are placed on the track forcing Yuki and Liam to approach each turn with just the right blend of speed and steering, matched with braking and throttle. It’s through this first challenge they quickly learn the technique in maneuvering the high line vs. the low line. The high line offers more speed, whereas the tight, lower line forces you to hit the brake and get down earlier to avoid cone-collision or a spin.

Challenge Two: Cornering Speed

Yuki and Liam are tasked to find the tricky happy medium cornering speed, of going just fast enough into the corner, but not too fast that it would force a spin out.

Challenge Three: Qualifying Lap

3. In more familiar territory, Yuki and Liam complete a lap flat out, to set the fastest time and starting grid for the race.

Watch the episode below to find out who had the fastest qualifying time by only 0.0461 seconds, and if they earned the upper hand heading into the final race.