Yuki Tsunoda has suggested he would be open to a move away to another Formula 1 team outside of the Red Bull motorsport stable.
After enduring an inconsistent opening two years in the series, the Japanese driver has progressed impressively in his third campaign.
While he has only two points to his name, Tsunoda has regularly outpaced new team-mate Nyck de Vries and been unfortunate to not score more having been on the fringes of the top 10 three times in eight races.
Tsunoda’s stellar form has thrust him into the conversation regarding a potential future promotion to the main Red Bull side – something advocated by outgoing AlphaTauri team boss Franz Tost.
But with Sergio Perez possessing a contract until the end of 2024 – alongside Max Verstappen who is tied down through 2028 – Tsunoda says he’s happy to remain at Red Bull’s junior team for the time being.
“I think Checo has a contract [to the end of] next year, and I guess Red Bull are happy with him,” Tsunoda told GiveMeSport.
“So, for now, I just have to focus on myself and show my value. I think time will tell anyway. I think it’s good to actually stay for now at AlphaTauri and show my performance to all the teams.”
As an employee of Red Bull, Tsunoda’s future is currently dictated by the Milton-Keynes squad’s motorsport advisor Helmut Marko.
However, the 23-year-old states he wants to reach the point where he is in control of his own destiny, opening the door for a potential exit if a Red Bull seat doesn’t materialise.
“It’s good to have more attention not just from Red Bull. I don’t get to choose what team I want to go to or what things I want to do in Formula One yet, I think Red Bull will still get to choose, so I want to get to a point as a driver where I get to choose.
“Obviously I want to go to a team that I know, based on the last few years, has been consistently high.
“Maybe one day AlphaTauri will be in that top part and in that case then there’s no reason to go to other teams.
“But anyway, it’s good to have lots of attention because it shows that I have much value and I think we as drivers we’re happy with things like this.”
The announcement last month that Aston Martin will be using Honda engines from 2026 onwards immediately saw Tsunoda linked with a potential switch there.
The British outfit’s Performance Technologies CEO Martin Whitmarsh didn’t quash the speculation, detailing that Tsunoda “must be considered as a candidate”.
Aston Martin’s current driver line-up consists of Lance Stroll, son of team owner Lawrence, and two-time F1 champion Fernando Alonso.
Stroll has come under increasing pressure recently for his subpar displays, having only scored 37 points across the opening eight rounds compared to Alonso’s 117.
However, the Canadian’s drive is unlikely to come under any serious threat, while Alonso, 41, is relishing the new lease of life being back at the front has handed him.
The two-time title winner has taken advantage of Aston Martin’s AMR23 charger being a front-running car to land six podiums in the opening eight races.
But Red Bull’s dominance at the top means Alonso’s elusive 33rd F1 win is still yet to arrive, with the team potentially squandering the chance of toppling the runaway championship leaders in Monaco last month.
