Yuki Tsunoda Red Bull: The Japanese could test for AlphaTauri later this year, with an eye on a permanent seat from next season.
20-year old Japanese Yuki Tsunoda is a former Japanese F4 champion, winning it with the Honda Formula Dream Project team. He won the title in dominating style, winning seven of the races that season in 2018.
He then progressed to F3 with the Jenzer Motorsport team, winning a race in the 2019 season. That year, Tsunoda also competed in the Euroformula Open Championship and the Macau Grand Prix.
He made his big move to F2 this season with Carlin, and is 4th on the table currently. He has won a race, and has been on the podium a further two times. Tsunoda is currently a member of the Red Bull Junior Team, tasked with finding F1 drivers for itself and AlphaTauri.
Yuki Tsunoda next in line for the ultimate promotion?
Going by indications this season, Tsunoda could end up being the next big find for the Red Bull banner. AlphaTauri team principal Franz Tost is mightily impressed with the Japanese. Tost has confirmed that if Red Bull wants, Tsunoda could test for AlphaTauri this F1 season. He also expressed confidence that Tsunoda will eventually become a F1 driver.
“I am not only impressed with his driving in the Formula 2, I was impressed last year in Formula 3 as well and the years before.”
“He is really high skilled driver and I think he has all the ingredients together to become a successful Formula 1 driver. He for sure will test for us in Abu Dhabi at the Young Drivers’ Test.”
If Tsunoda continues to impress in F2, and does so in the testing with AlphaTauri as well, then it could spell bad news for either Pierre Gasly or Daniil Kvyat.
Read more: The potential new team Daniil Kvyat could join, if he is replaced by Tsunoda next season.
