Yuki Tsunoda, the RB driver, expressed his desire to increase his value to other Formula 1 teams if he cannot secure a promotion within Red Bull. Tsunoda has always stated that his ultimate goal is to drive for the senior Red Bull team, but he is not seen as a serious contender. Despite outperforming his teammate Daniel Ricciardo in all three races this season, Ricciardo is considered the most likely candidate to replace Sergio Perez in 2025. Tsunoda had a strong start in 2024, finishing seventh in Australia after starting in eighth, while Ricciardo was eliminated in Q1 and finished 12th. With rumors linking him to Aston Martin due to their upcoming partnership with Honda, Tsunoda hopes to be an attractive option if Red Bull is not available. When asked if his good performance at the beginning of the season would improve his chances with Red Bull, Tsunoda said: “I hope they consider. At the same time, I want to show other teams what I am capable of. I want to increase my value as a driver and demonstrate that I can compete at a high level. I don’t know what Red Bull’s plans are, but I hope they also consider me seriously.
One factor that has been hindering Tsunoda and preventing him from being considered for the Red Bull seat is his temperament during races. However, Tsunoda has been making an effort to control his emotions and was pleased with how he handled a race incident involving Kevin Magnussen in Saudi Arabia. “I am satisfied with how I handled the previous race,” he said. “Normally, I would be frustrated and express my frustration over the radio. But, as I mentioned in the press conference in Saudi Arabia, I want to change myself, and I am sure you will see the difference in how I deal with situations from this race onwards. I am pleased to have made some progress in this regard. It won’t be easy to keep improving, but that is what I am aiming for and what I have to do. It wasn’t easy, even without a helmet, I was biting my tongue in frustration.”
He added: “I didn’t realize this would require so much energy, more than the physical effort on my neck or the G-forces during the race. It will probably take longer for me to get used to this, but at least I made some progress this time, and I am confident I can keep doing it.”
