Red Bull and Scuderia AlphaTauri aren’t just battling on the Formula 1 track. The two sibling teams have been competing in the (Un)Serious Race Series on YouTube. The latest episode had Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez, Yuki Tsunoda, and Liam Lawson racing tiny Honda kei trucks through a series of elaborate challenges at Tokyo’s Ariake Stadium ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix.
The two teams first faced off in a reversing challenge, which AlphaTauri’s Tsunoda won. Perez piloted the Honda for Red Bull, struggling with the parallel parking portion.
Japan’s small trucks became popular work vehicles because they could navigate the country’s narrow roads and dense urban centers. Their small size and practical design make them useful and maneuverable, which was fully displayed in the second challenge – navigating an obstacle course while blindfolded.
Verstappen and Lawson donned blindfolds while Perez and Tsunoda directed them. The drivers had to pilot the trucks without losing any boxes stacked in the bed, which proved difficult for Lawson who stepped on the gas a bit too much crossing the finish line, losing several and earning several time penalties, just like in F1, sort of. Red Bull complete the course without losing one.
AlphaTauri won the oversized bowling challenge before Red Bull finished first in the final race. During the last sprint, Lawson slid across the truck’s interior, knocking the shifter into neutral and causing the two to lose.
This was the third round in Red Bull’s (Un)Serious Race Series. Ahead of the Miami Grand Prix, Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo competed in a head-to-head mini jet boat battle. Tsunoda won the competition before claiming a second victory before the Austrian Grand Prix. He and Verstappen raced monster trucks.
Verstappen would take his kei-truck victory and build off it, winning the Japanese Grand Prix. His first-place finish gave Red Bull enough points to win F1’s Constructors’ Championship for the second year. It has twice as many points as Mercedes – 623 to 305.
Teammate Perez wasn’t as fortunate in Sunday’s outing, retiring from the race after sustaining damage to his car. He also received two penalties.
AlphaTauri, Red Bull’s sister team, finished the race mid-pack. Lawson came in 11th ahead of Tsunoda’s 12th-place finish. The team sits last in the constructors’ championship with five points.
