Yuki Tsunoda 'Won't Make Life Easy' For Max Verstappen If Red Bull Promotion Comes

Saajan Jogia | Aug 12, 2024

May 5, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; RB racing driver Yuki Tsunoda (22) walks into the F1 Village before the F1 Miami Grand Prix at Miami International Autodrome. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports / Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

VCARB (RB) driver Yuki Tsunoda revealed that he "won't make life easy" for championship leader Max Verstappen if he was to be promoted to Red Bull. The Japanese driver is confident in his ability to contend for the championship at Red Bull but acknowledges there's still much to learn from the Dutchman.

Daniel Ricciardo joined Tsunoda in Red Bull's sister team last year with the goal of elevating the team's Championship standing and mentoring Tsunoda to enhance his performance. So far in 2024, the mentorship appears to be paying off, as Tsunoda has outperformed Ricciardo in most races.

Ricciardo currently sits in 13th place in the Drivers' Standings with 12 points, trailing his teammate Tsunoda, who holds 12th place with 22 points—nearly double Ricciardo's tally. The Australian driver had been eyeing a coveted spot alongside Verstappen at Red Bull this year, particularly as speculation grew over Sergio Perez's uncertain future with the team.

Despite extending Perez's contract in June for two more years as Ricciardo showed no sign of improvement, Red Bull began to reconsider its decision as Perez's form remained inconsistent. Nevertheless, he was granted another chance for the rest of the season during a pivotal team meeting over the summer break.

Thus, with question marks still labeled on the seat alongside Verstappen for 2025, speculation suggested that reserve driver Liam Lawson would most likely be chosen for a full-time seat if Perez was dropped. Though Tsunoda's also remained in consideration, Red Bull senior advisor Helmut Marko's hints about Lawson being in line for the next seat suggest he won't be considered for a spot in Formula 1's top team.

When Tsunoda was asked to explain an imaginary scenario of racing alongside Verstappen in the future, he told the media rather confidently:

"I think I can fight hard with him.

"I won't make life easy for him, for sure.

"Obviously, he's very fast and he's very consistent. So drivers' championship-wise, I wouldn't say I have massive confidence that I can straight away beat him in the drivers' championship from the first year."

Despite his confidence in eventually matching Verstappen's pace at Red Bull, Tsunoda recognizes the invaluable learning opportunity of racing alongside the three-time world champion. He particularly admires Verstappen's ability to excel in changing weather conditions, emphasizing how this skill allows him to dominate in scenarios where success relies heavily on individual talent. He added:

"I have confidence that I can fight hard against him, and [there is] a lot of things I can learn, especially consistency with any conditions like half-wet, dry, dry-wet, wet conditions.

"Multiple condition changes, he's always somehow adapted really, really well. That's why he was very consistent last year, being able to 19 races and last year, there were a lot of multiple weather changes [during races] and those moments won't be as much car-performance dominated.

"If you're a really bad driver and driving a good car, you're still bad driver and will easily lose positions, so that's why he's [Verstappen] able to win consistently. So, those things, for sure, I can learn a lot."