Yuki Tsunoda has revealed that he would be open to remaining with RB but also going to a rival Formula 1 side should a promotion at Red Bull continue to evade him.
Tsunoda has been adamant over recent months about his long-standing desire to be handed a promotion to Red Bull’s parent setup to go up against Max Verstappen.
But although he has delivered a brilliant campaign to outscore his more experienced team-mate Daniel Ricciardo, Tsunoda has never featured high on Red Bull’s radar.
Indeed, when Sergio Perez’s woe saw his place at Red Bull come under pressure, Ricciardo and reserve Liam Lawson were touted as the most probable replacements.
Red Bull appearing unenamoured with granting Tsunoda the chance to represent a title-contending team even prompted him to claim that “other factors” are involved.
However, despite his aggrievances, Tsunoda, who is now in his fourth season in the sport, has insisted that his ultimate ambition remains to become a Red Bull driver.
“My priority is a seat at Red Bull,” Tsunoda told the Beyond the Grid podcast.
“I have wanted to race there since my debut in Formula 1. They have one of the fastest cars on the grid. I want to be able to drive that car and show my potential.”
Tsunoda insinuated earlier this term that he could have reached a ceiling on his time with the Red Bull stable in the circumstance where a promotion is not attainable.
But the Japanese racer, who has a deal through 2025, has retracted those comments as he has expressed that RB continuing to progress could entice him to remain.
The Faenza-based side rebranded into its current guise over the winter as it bids to be recognised as its own entity rather than a breeding ground for Red Bull Juniors.
“I also just want to be able to consistently finish in the top five,” he added.
“If Visa Cash App RB can manage that soon – after all, we are growing very much – then I will stay loyal to my team and I don’t need to leave there.”
However, Tsunoda, who has been linked with a long-term switch to Aston Martin, has conceded that he would still be prepared to entertain proposals from elsewhere.
Aston Martin has not ruled out an attempt to sign Tsunoda down the line as the British marque prepares to partner with Honda, which backs the RB driver, from 2026.
“Still, if another team presents itself and the whole picture is right, then I see no reason why I shouldn’t leave,” he concluded.
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