RB reveal why 'phenomenal' Tsunoda received early extension

Laurent Mekies has explained what prompted RB to award Yuki Tsunoda with his 2025 contract extension, which was announced at the Canadian Grand Prix.

In an exclusive interview with RacingNews365, the 47-year-old described the Japanese driver's progression in the early part of the season "phenomenal."

Specifically, the contract confirmed in Montreal was Red Bull taking up its option on Tsunoda, a move to prolong his stay with the multi-team outfit into a fifth season.

The 24-year-old entered F1 with the Anglo-Italian team in 2021, when it was still called AlphaTauri.

His pace was immediately there for all to see, scoring points on debut in Bahrain. However, Tsunoda proved inconsistent and was comfortably out-performed by Pierre Gasly, who was routinely impressive in the other car.

Tsunoda made steady, year-on-year improvements and handily out-classed Nyck de Vries in the early part of 2023, as well as enjoying having the measure over Daniel Ricciardo towards the end of the campaign.

It was form that carried over into this season, continuing to strengthen in the process - something that was the driving force behind RB taking up its option on him, according to Mekies.

"I think the step that Yuki had been showing in the first few races [of 2024], to the point where we made that call, was phenomenal," the Frenchman reflects when asked for the reasoning behind the early call. "That's my personal evaluation of it, it was phenomenal.

"Yes we have seen drivers evolving, rarely from year three to your four of that magnitude, so I think he has been delivering incredibly fast and consistent weekends... [on] different tracks, different conditions."

Tsunoda is 'key to RB's project for the future'

Tsunoda himself is quick to highlight some of the areas he feels he has improved in, attributing some of that success to lessons learned from his current team-mate.

The RB driver says he is the "happiest" he has been during his four-year F1 career, but has yet to be seriously considered for a promotion to Red Bull.

With Sergio Perez's long-term position alongside Max Verstappen now-consistent and increasingly precarious, both Ricciardo and reserve driver Liam Lawson have been tipped as would-be replacement.

Yet Tsunoda's name is rarely uttered in such conversations, despite him overmatching the Australian so far this year.

It is believed the Red Bull hierarchy do not believe he has the demeanour to go up against Verstappen and is, therefore, not in consideration.

Tsunoda insists he is unfazed by the prospect of the "environment change" and believes he could "fight hard" against the Dutchman.

Mekies understands that ambition and feels it is critical to keeping the Japanese driver in the family, where all drivers are centrally contracted and can be moved between Red Bull and RB with ease.

The RB team principal claims it was "only fair" to repay Tsunoda's progression and contends RB is the right place for further growth. Whether that ever means promotion to Red Bull remains to be seen.

"He has been making important steps inside and outside the car, and at the end of the day, of course we can wait - we have the driver options on our three guys," Mekies says.

"But I think at that stage it was only fair to recognise the huge steps that he had made and to simply confirm that we want - Yuki's ambitious, we are ambitious and he is key to our project for the future and we feel that we offer him the right platform to do another step."