Yuki Tsunoda believes it is "quite clear" what he must do over the final five rounds of the F1 season to retain a seat with Red Bull.
The Japanese driver is at risk of being demoted to Racing Bulls, where he started the campaign, or losing his full-time seat in F1 altogether.
With Isack Hadjar now strongly thought to be getting the nod to step up to the top team and partner Max Verstappen in 2026, Tsunoda is more realistically fighting for his F1 future with Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad.
The only external seat open for the 25-year-old to vie for is the second Alpine seat, but he is not known to be in the running, with Flavio Briatore having already stated his choice is between incumbent Franco Colapinto and reserve Paul Aron.
When asked by RacingNews365 what deciding factors will swing fate in his favour, Tsunoda zeroed in on results and supporting the team and Verstappen in both championships.
The Dutchman has clawed his way back into contention for the drivers' title, and the Milton Keynes-based squad suddenly finds itself back in the hunt for runner-up spot in the constructors' standings.
Tsunoda replied: "I guess the results, right? I think for me it’s more clear – it's just like, it’s been a crucial moment as a team and also for the championship, especially with my team-mate. So how much I can support that.
"And yeah, this is the potential, like I said, to be P2 in the team championship, which is very good. And what I scored in Austin was obviously a good step.
"So, yeah, I’m going to have to do more. Or, yeah, it's basically more of the same and just keep scoring every race.
"Which probably, you know, others, especially last few years, Red Bull drivers struggled with that. So I think, like I said, I'm in the right trajectory, especially in the second half of the season."
Whilst Tsunoda has struggled since replacing Lawson two rounds into the year, he has shown improved form of late, following the RB21 floor update he received for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
A sixth place in Baku was backed up by two seventh finishes, in the sprint and grand prix, at the Circuit of the Americas last weekend.
"I’m showing good things each race," Tsunoda added. "That’s it. I think I’ve proved a lot of things in past years and especially being on the season in different teams.
"So just… what I have to do is quite clear."
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