Yuki Tsunoda says he sees no reason to consider another team outside of the Red Bull motorsport stable despite reported interest in him from Aston Martin.
Following an incident-riddled first two seasons in the sport, Tsunoda has developed into one of the standout drivers, picking up AlphaTauri’s only two points of the year.
His impressively consistent run in 2023 has prompted AlphaTauri team boss Franz Tost to suggest he is showcasing the potential to be a Red Bull driver in the future.
Meanwhile, confirmation that Honda will power Aston Martin from 2026 has placed Tsunoda as a possible candidate for a seat with the British marque down the line.
But despite previously revealing he was open to departing the Red Bull family to pursue another opportunity, Tsunoda says he is satisfied to remain with AlphaTauri.
“I am really happy [being] with the Red Bull family,” Tsunoda exclusively told Total-Motorsport.com. “I feel comfortable here, [I am] able to just be myself.
“As a driver, it’s good to have attention from other teams, but for now, I am happy with AlphaTauri. [They’ve] supported over the last few years, so I am not considering other teams.
“If there’s an opportunity to go to Red Bull, that will be amazing. But like I said, [I am] not thinking too much about [2024], and there’s not much reason to go outside AlphaTauri.”
Tsunoda endured a catastrophic debut campaign in 2021, only out-qualifying then team-mate Pierre Gasly once and being outscored by 32 points to 110.
Although he conceded surprise at being retained for 2022, Tsunoda rebounded strongly in his sophomore campaign to only narrowly be trumped by Gasly.
Having demolished de Vries 8-2 in the race head-to-head before the Dutchman was axed on Tuesday, Tsunoda believes that he wasn’t necessarily granted the credit he deserved last year for the turnaround he made.
“Everyone said I got confidence from this year. But at the same time, not many people watched my races last year,” he contended.
“[In] most of the qualifying sessions in dry conditions, I was beating Pierre. I’ve [got] good confidence. I’ve put it all together more [often] this year in the race and qualifying.
“I don’t have to worry much about the contract, I’m focusing now more on what I have to do in the race to deliver the results.”
After seeing off the threat posed by de Vries comfortably, Tsunoda will encounter the fresh challenge of facing up against eight-time F1 winner Daniel Ricciardo for the remainder of the 2023 season.
But a failure to beat the experienced Australian, who is returning to the sport on a full-time basis following a dismal two-season stint with McLaren, could massively dent Tsunoda’s future prospects.
Both AlphaTauri pilots will be aiming to put forward their individual cases in warranting a Red Bull drive for 2024, particularly in light of Sergio Perez’s recent struggles.
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