Racing Bulls showed promising pace during the first day of practice at the 2026 Italian Grand Prix in Monza, setting their sights on reaching the crucial Q3 stage in qualifying. Both drivers demonstrated solid performance, positioning the team well as the weekend progressed.
Arvid Lindblad consistently placed within the top 10 in both Friday sessions, achieving seventh fastest in the second practice behind teams like Mercedes, Ferrari, and McLaren. Meanwhile, Yuki Tsunoda, stepping in for Liam Lawson at Red Bull this weekend, improved from 12th in the opening session to 10th in the second. Tsunoda highlighted better rear stability and noted his ongoing adaptation to new car features such as Straight Line Mode and Boost deployment.
Team Principal Alan Permane expressed confidence in the team’s progress, setting the goal for both Racing Bulls cars to advance into Q3 during Saturday’s qualifying. He pointed out that after addressing some chassis and power unit issues in the first practice, the second session showed a much stronger performance, with the team holding about a one-second margin to the 16th position.
Yuki Tsunoda views the Monza weekend as a valuable learning opportunity, especially as he adapts to the car’s new systems. Despite potential traffic challenges during qualifying, Permane believes the team can navigate through Q1 and Q2 effectively, with Q3 being the key session for strategic positioning.
The presence of established teams like Mercedes, Ferrari, and McLaren at the top of the timesheets underscores the competitive environment Racing Bulls face. However, the team’s solid pace and improvements suggest they are well placed to challenge for a strong qualifying result.
With Liam Lawson absent this weekend, Tsunoda’s role as a substitute driver adds an extra layer of interest to Racing Bulls’ performance. His progress through the practice sessions reflects both his adaptability and the team’s ability to manage the car’s evolving features.
Overall, the first day at Monza provided Racing Bulls with a stable platform to build on. The team’s focus on reaching Q3 aligns with their performance indicators and technical adjustments made after the initial session. Saturday’s qualifying will be a critical test of their pace and strategy in this historic and high-speed setting.