Red Bull Advisor Marko Hints at Tsunoda Renewal
In a recent turn of events, the confirmation of Sergio Perez’s two-year contract extension with Red Bull has seemingly closed the door on Yuki Tsunoda’s hopes of moving up to the main team from Racing Bulls.
While the future of the Japanese driver remains somewhat unclear, it appears that he is on the brink of extending his contract with VCARB. Helmut Marko, an advisor for Red Bull, made this evident in a statement to the Austrian newspaper Kleine Zeitung: “Yuki Tsunoda is a done deal, it’s clear,” he remarked regarding the situation of the Japanese driver for 2025.
Tsunoda has been showcasing his best form since entering Formula 1 in 2021 (with the team then known as AlphaTauri). Fast and consistent, he has also exhibited a level of maturity that was lacking in his earlier seasons.
Prior to the Canadian Grand Prix, Yuki Tsunoda was ranked tenth in the championship, having scored points five times in the first eight Grands Prix. Out of the 24 points accumulated by VCARB so far, 19 have come solely from him, with the remaining five from Daniel Ricciardo in the Miami sprint race.
The Threat of Lawson to Ricciardo
Clearly overshadowed by Tsunoda, Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo now faces a challenge from Liam Lawson, who successfully replaced him last year during his recovery from a wrist fracture in Zandvoort, and is vying for the second seat at VCARB for 2025.
Although Lawson competed in the Super Formula, the Japanese single-seater series, in the 2023 season, he is currently focusing solely on his role as an F1 reserve driver this season, being present at all the Grand Prix events on the calendar. Marko mentioned, “He is there at every race, and we are in close contact with him. There is a clause with Lawson. If we do not offer him a race seat, he will be free to race for other teams.”
While Yuki Tsunoda appears to have secured his place at VCARB, Red Bull seems to be weighing the experience of Daniel Ricciardo against the promising talent of Liam Lawson. The coming weeks will provide the first hints at their decision.
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