Yuki Tsunoda impressed many during the 2024 Australian GP as he earned four crucial points for his Visa Cash App RB (V-CARB) team with a P8 finish at the Albert Park street circuit. Throughout the 58-lap Grand Prix, the young Japanese driver looked in complete control and even got in the good books of Red Bull team advisor Helmut Marko. However, despite Tsunoda’s stellar drive in Melbourne, Marko is still reluctant to include the 23-year-old in contention for the second Red Bull seat just yet.
Motorsport-Total (as quoted by Junaid Samodien on X (formerly Twitter)) quoted the Austrian as saying, “Sure, because here he (Tsunoda) was competitive every lap and didn’t do anything wrong, was calm. But as we say: one swallow doesn’t make a summer“.
The second seat at Red Bull could be up for grabs in 2025 as Sergio Perez, whose contract expires at the end of this year, hasn’t been the most consistent when compared to teammate, Max Verstappen. Although Red Bull have made no decision about whether they will extend Perez’s current deal or not, Marko isn’t keen on including Tsunoda on the list of potential candidates for that second seat on the team just yet.
Meanwhile, the other drivers who are in contention for that second Red Bull seat are Tsunoda’s V-CARB teammate, Daniel Ricciardo, and current Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz, who will leave the team at the end of the 2024 season. After Sainz’s brilliant win at the Australian GP, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has confirmed that the Spaniard is a potential candidate.
Among all the drivers in contention for that second Red Bull seat, the team would most likely make a decision between Sainz and Perez. Meanwhile, Red Bull are likely to rate Tsunoda higher than Ricciardo based on current form.
Yuki Tsunoda is piling up the pressure on Daniel Ricciardo
Yuki Tsunoda seems to have the upper hand over Daniel Ricciardo after the first three races of the 2024 season. Hence, even if the Red Bull seat may still elude the Japanese driver next year, he would most likely still be a V-CARB driver in 2025.
However, the same cannot be said about Ricciardo because of his lack of form. Moreover, with Liam Lawson having impressed the paddock with his cameo last year, Ricciardo’s spot could be under serious threat.
When it comes to the most recent race in Australia, Ricciardo finished a lap-down. On the contrary, Tsunoda went on to secure points for the team with a fantastic P8 finish. Hence, the pressure is now undoubtedly on Ricciardo to pull his socks up if he wants to have any chance of still being in contention for that second Red Bull seat in 2025.
