Yuki Tsunoda believes Liam Lawson’s arrival at RB will add a little bit of “spice” to the race to earn a promotion to the senior Red Bull Formula 1 team.
Lawson has been granted a six-round audition at RB, starting with the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, to prove his worth to Red Bull.
Daniel Ricciardo’s replacement has the chance to secure his full-time future at RB or even a Red Bull promotion.
Despite his best efforts, Tsunoda has oft been overlooked for a Red Bull graduation and the latest driver development at RB could have ramifications for the Japanese driver.
“I’m sure [the competition] will increase between team-mates that,” Tsunoda told select media including Motorsport Week on Thursday.
“If there’s things going around, I’m sure it will increase our mentality to not get beaten.
“I guess, that’s natural, maybe slightly [with a] bit more spice on top of it than usual, but I think it was similar to last year as well.
“I just focus on what I have to do and obviously – Liam will do a good job as well – and make sure I’ll be ahead of him and hopefully we can achieve P6 in the Constructors’ Championship, that’s the main goal.”
Tsunoda and Lawson in a Red Bull ‘shootout’
With Lawson receiving a Red Bull audition in all but name and Tsunoda continuing to improve, the RB duo is stuck in a three-way shootout with Sergio Perez over the second Red Bull seat in 2025.
Tsunoda isn’t fazed by this, claiming he’s been in a shootout since Round 1 of the 2024 F1 campaign.
“From first race this year already onwards, it’s kind of been a shootout between me and Daniel,” Tsunoda explained.
“Who is going to be ahead all the time, the next year’s contract, or everything, [all] that stuff.
“For me, it’s part of the whole season.”
On the other half of the RB garage, Lawson said that any notion of a Red Bull promotion is “very far ahead.
“Obviously, Yuki’s [Tsunoda] done a very good job the last couple of years, especially this year, and he’s the benchmark for obviously them to compare me against.
“He’s the only one in the same car as me, so I’ll be directly compared with him, and I guess the goal or the expectation from him is for me to compete alongside him.
“In terms of where that sets me up for next year or in the future, I have absolutely no idea, but that’s the target that’s been set out.”
READ MORE: Liam Lawson in the dark over 2025 Red Bull F1 seat chances
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