Yuki Tsunoda is adamant that he “definitely deserves” to replace Sergio Perez at Red Bull and partner championship leader Max Verstappen next season.
The Japanese driver is set to conclude his fourth season with the Visa Cash App RB team with only three races left in Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
But the 24-year-old is still none the wiser as to whether he will drive for Red Bull next year or stay in his current team with VCARB.
Red Bull adviser Helmut Marko has indicated the Constructors’ champions may decide to replace Perez at the end of the 2024 season, leaving a vacant spot on the grid for next year.
In a clear message to the team, Tsunoda believes he should be the frontrunner to race alongside Verstappen in 2025 if Perez is axed. Asked whether he believes he deserves the Red Bull seat, he replied: “Yeah, 100 per cent.
“I always say that definitely I deserve that seat and I can’t say more than that. Definitely. [Now it’s] up to them.”
Despite watching his team-mates come and go at VCARB, Tsunoda has proved to be a consistent figure in the midfield and is on the verge of surpassing his season-best total of 32 points, with 28 so far this year.
He consistently out-qualified and finished ahead of former team-mate Daniel Ricciardo, while his predecessor Nyck de Vries was sacked after 10 races.
Now driving alongside Liam Lawson, reports have suggested the Milton Keynes team could snub Tsunoda in favour of the New Zealand racer, who has scored three top-10 finishes in eight races since making his F1 debut.
Argentinian star Franco Colapinto, 21, has also reportedly held talks with Red Bull after starring for Williams since replacing Logan Sargeant at the tail end of the season.
Reacting to speculation, Tsunoda insisted the rumours are nothing new and he is choosing to block out the noise surrounding his future.
“Some of the stories are already happening from when Daniel was my team-mate. Liam came in and suddenly he’s up,” Tsunoda said. “So, to be honest, it’s just the usual story in that team, or in the Red Bull family.
“I mean, it’s a usual story. It’s like part of the motorsport, Formula 1, especially our team. And it is what it is. I don’t really think about it.”
Tsunoda will get a chance to prove himself at the post-season F1 test in Abu Dhabi, where he will get behind the wheel of a Red Bull for the first time after team principal Christian Horner held talks with Honda to discuss the opportunity.
