Tsunoda hoping for Red Bull mind change after Ricciardo exit

Yuki Tsunoda has asserted his desire to prove to Red Bull he is ready for a seat at the front-running F1 squad, with Honda reportedly advancing his case.

Tsunoda is currently in his fourth season with the Red Bull sister team and has been retained for next year's campaign, but has been constantly overlooked in conversations for a seat at the senior team. 

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko recently revealed Tsunoda is an option to replace a struggling Sergio Perez at the Milton Keynes-based squad next year, with his admission coming shortly after Daniel Ricciardo's exit from the RB stable.

Liam Lawson has taken over Ricciardo's seat at RB for the rest of the season but has not been confirmed for 2025, leading to claims that he is auditioning for Perez's seat alongside Tsunoda.

During the United States Grand Prix weekend, it was revealed that Honda is putting pressure on Red Bull to give Tsunoda a test in the senior team to allow him to showcase his skills. 

When asked if the door is still open for a move to the reigning world champions for next year, Tsunoda told media including RacingNews365 earlier in the Austin weekend that: "I hope so. I thought when Daniel was my teammate, it was kind of like that. But so far, it seems not.

“But hopefully after Daniel, things happen - hopefully they change their mind."

Tsunoda trying to be 'perfect' driver

Tsunoda has also come under scrutiny by Red Bull for his emotional outbursts over team radio that were prevalent in his first F1 seasons.

The 24-year-old signalled his desire to avoid giving the team a chance to pull him up on a shortcoming as he targets improvements.

“I’m sure there are a couple of key things that they want to see, that as a driver I improve in the next six races,” he said.

“I kind of already knew that since last year in the second half season, or at least in the first half of the season.

“I just have to show them and just keep improving myself. And I just have to be a driver that there’s not much things left that they can blame me [and say] ‘okay, these things you didn’t improve or there’s lacking’.

“I’m just trying to be close to the perfect driver.”

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