Yuki Tsunoda is set to make his Red Bull debut this week alongside reigning world champion Max Verstappen. Tsunoda will take over from Liam Lawson during his home race in Japan. Lawson, in turn, will be demoted back to Racing Bulls. Former Formula 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya believes that Red Bull should have promoted rookie Isack Hadjar instead.
After two challenging Grands Prix, Lawson was demoted back to Racing Bulls last week. The New Zealander consistently qualified last and has yet to score any points for the team. Deemed not up to the mark, Racing Bulls veteran Yuki Tsunoda will inherit his seat and finally make his long-awaited debut with the main team. Montoya believes that Red Bull’s decision acknowledges a previous mistake – he would have preferred to see rookie Isack Hadjar in the Red Bull car.
Tsunoda to Secure Long-Term Contract?
“I would have put Isack Hadjar in Red Bull, more than Yuki Tsunoda,” Montoya stated to Vision4Sport. “He would have been my choice. If I were Red Bull, I would have publicly stated that they want to secure Hadjar for two years and guarantee him a seat, no matter what happens. After all, Tsunoda doesn’t know where he stands. One year? Two years? Probably just this season. By choosing him now, they acknowledge that they made a mistake last year.”
Despite his preference for Hadjar, Montoya believes that Yuki Tsunoda can perform at Red Bull. “The Japanese Grand Prix is a great opportunity for him,” said the Colombian. “Even if he only performs halfway, it’s still much better than what Lawson has shown. If Max (Verstappen) qualifies fourth and Tsunoda twelfth, he’s still better than Lawson and Sergio Perez. It’s even a home race for him – he knows the circuit well. If he manages to get close to Verstappen, his career will skyrocket. His future would then be secure, to a point where Red Bull would be forced to contract him for the long term.”
Could Isack Hadjar have moved up to Red Bull? Juan Pablo Montoya thinks so.
