Yuki Tsunoda believes he can prove himself worthy of a Red Bull seat after a recent simulator test showed that the team’s car suits his driving style. The Japanese driver, currently racing for Red Bull’s sister team AlphaTauri, is one of several contenders to replace Sergio Perez, whose struggles this season have put his position at risk.
Perez, sitting eighth in the driver standings, has been underperforming compared to his teammate Max Verstappen, and Red Bull’s relatively modest points haul has allowed McLaren and Ferrari to overtake them in the constructors’ standings. This has led to speculation that the team may replace Perez, with Tsunoda, along with drivers like Liam Lawson, considered as potential candidates.
Ahead of a scheduled test in Red Bull’s 2024 car in Abu Dhabi, Tsunoda shared his excitement after a run in the team’s simulator, where he was impressed by the car’s performance. “It’s a pretty fast car. It feels great to drive, especially with the sharp turn-in and the speed you can carry into corners,” Tsunoda said. “I think the car suits me well. Normally, simulator work feels more like a task, but driving the Red Bull was enjoyable.”
Tsunoda, who joined AlphaTauri in 2021, has frequently expressed his frustrations about the team overlooking him for promotion to the main Red Bull team, despite consistently out-performing his teammates. However, with Perez’s future uncertain, Tsunoda sees the final two races of the 2024 season as crucial to his chances. He is determined to impress the Red Bull hierarchy and force them to consider him for a race seat.
“Throughout the year, I feel like I’m just testing,” Tsunoda acknowledged. “The next two races are definitely more important for me to be in the conversation about those seats. Hopefully, the test will improve my impression, but it’s my results and performance that will count the most.”
Tsunoda’s efforts this season have been pivotal for AlphaTauri, as he has scored all but two of the team’s 46 points. The team is battling for sixth place in the constructors’ championship, with Tsunoda hoping his performance will prove his value to Red Bull. While AlphaTauri’s final standings may impact team revenues, Tsunoda believes his speed and consistency should be the deciding factors.
“I just have to force them with my results,” Tsunoda said. “If I can help the team finish in P6, it will give me a stronger reason to earn consideration for the Red Bull seat. There may be things happening behind the scenes that I don’t know about, but I’m just going to keep pushing and perform at my best.”
As the season draws to a close, Tsunoda focuses on securing his future at Red Bull, determined to prove that his performance, rather than team politics, should decide his next step in Formula 1.
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