RB boss Laurent Mekies is convinced that Yuki Tsunoda possesses the qualities to excel at a top Formula 1 team and has backed him to dispel Red Bull’s scepticism.
Red Bull is awaiting the end of the current campaign to decide which drivers will represent its two respective squads in 2025 amid Sergio Perez’s persistent struggles.
Perez retains a contract for next term, but a wretched 2024 season has heightened speculation that Red Bull could elect to activate certain break clauses to drop him.
In the circumstance where the Mexican is ousted, Red Bull is almost certain to look to an in-house replacement at sister team RB to slot in alongside Max Verstappen.
But while Tsunoda is the more established name on the Faenza-based squad’s books, Liam Lawson has been regarded as the probable bet to earn a possible step up.
Despite having outclassed the senior group’s previous insurance option in Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull continues to harbour reservations about Tsunoda’s temperament.
Mekies, though, believes that Red Bull’s bosses could be encouraged to reverse their stance towards Tsunoda should he continue to produce consistent results at RB.
“The steps he has been doing this year have been, I think, a surprise to everyone,” Mekies told media including Motorsport Week in Qatar.
“And hopefully the surprise has also been for Red Bull Racing.
“I think we are in a business where everybody looks at the results, and the second a driver starts to perform or to outperform compared to the expectations, then everybody will then change their opinions very, very fast.
“I think for Yuki, it’s all about continuing to perform at a mega-high level on the track. And we are all very quick to change our mind as soon as we see a guy performing.”
Tsunoda has conceded he is uncertain what more he can do to change Red Bull’s mind having qualified third in Brazil and seventh in Las Vegas in the last two rounds.
Mekies has highlighted that such headline results are a testament to the season that Tsunoda has produced as he hailed the advances that he has made during 2024.
“When I see Yuki again, performing at that level like he did in the last few races, I think it was all together, an outstanding season from his side,” he said.
“I think he has made a step this season that nobody could forecast and it’s something he should be proud of.”
Tsunoda prepared for next step in F1
Mekies thinks Tsunoda, who has contributed 30 of the 46 points RB has scored, has reached a point in his development where he is ready to represent a leading team.
“I think a guy at that level, that has been scoring the amount of points he scored this year, a guy that has put the car in P7 or in P3 in the last two races, qualifying, of course, I think he’s ready to get a faster car,” he added.
“We are hoping to provide him with this faster car. But of course, I think he’s ready for a faster car and a faster team or a bigger team.”
Tsunoda’s Red Bull test
Tsunoda will get the long-awaited chance to stake his credentials to Red Bull when he samples the team’s 2024 car, the RB20, at the post-season test in Abu Dhabi.
“As for the test he will do with them, I think it’s very important for our drivers to get a chance into the bigger team, into our brother team,” he continued.
“It’s one of our key DNA aspects for this team, to be able to grow our drivers and to make them attractive enough so that Red Bull Racing want to have them.
“We are very happy that he has this test and I’m confident he will perform well.”
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