Yuki Tsunoda has explained the twin motivation he will draw upon at the Singapore Grand Prix, as he looks to stake his claim to a seat with Red Bull in 2026.
In Baku, the Japanese driver had his best weekend since being promoted to the seat alongside Max Verstappen just two rounds into the current F1 campaign.
His sixth-place finish in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix saw him collect eight points, almost doubling the nine points he had scored since the trip to Suzuka in April.
The 25-year-old will be looking to build upon that foundation at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, and is relishing the challenge the two-hour, 62-lap race presents.
Reflecting on his achievement in Baku and the "fun" ahead in Singapore, Tsunoda said: "Last time out was super positive for the team and me.
"It feels like I’m moving in a positive direction with the car, and the hard work we have all been putting in is paying off across the race weekend.
"Baku is obviously quite a unique circuit, and Singapore will be very different for us and could pose some challenges.
"There’s so many things that come into play there, the humidity, the night race, the street circuit - it’s one of the biggest tests we have as drivers. But that’s what makes it fun, and I enjoy preparing for it and racing there."
Whilst team-mate Verstappen spent the time between the two rounds racing in GT3 machinery at the Nurburgring Nordschleife, Tsunoda has been back at base with the team and visiting his native Japan, two trips that will fuel him through the gruelling event in Singapore.
"I’ve been in the factory ahead of this one, and spent some time with everyone at the race debrief, seeing how many people are putting work into making a difference on track is incredible and makes you want to push harder," he added.
"Then I had a stop off in Tokyo with Red Bull before coming to Singapore, and being with my home fans is another huge motivation that I’ll take into this weekend."
It is widely expected that Isack Hadjar will be given Tsunoda's seat for the 2026 season, but Red Bull is yet to make its final decision, and there is a good possibility he returns to Racing Bulls, with Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad also in contention for seats there.
Also interesting:
Join RacingNews365's Ian Parkes, Sam Coop and Nick Golding, as they look ahead to this weekend's Singapore GP! The trio start with a discussion about Max Verstappen's Nordschleife heroics, before turning their attention to the make-or-break Marina Bay Circuit.
Rather watch the podcast? Then click here!
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