Yuki Tsunoda finished sixth in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Sunday. This is his best result in his Red Bull career and a significant signal to the team management. Rumor has it that the Japanese driver will have to make way for Racing Bulls’ sensation Isack Hadjar next year, making his future in Formula 1 uncertain. However, Tsunoda assures that this performance will ‘do him good’.
In the run-up to the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, various sources reported that Yuki Tsunoda will be replaced by Isack Hadjar next year. The deal is said to have been sealed behind the scenes. However, this does not mean that Tsunoda can return to Racing Bulls; they reportedly want to contract Formula 2 talent Arvid Lindblad. This put the Japanese driver’s future in the premier class at risk. On Sunday, however, he silenced his critics – he finished sixth and scored important points for Red Bull.
Fueling Confidence
“I definitely found something in Monza,” Tsunoda reflected after the race. “I showed that in the free practice sessions and the long runs. Of course, I’ve just started with this approach, and the quality is clearly not at the level of Max Verstappen. But I’m taking it step by step. I wasn’t nearly as far behind as last week, so that’s definitely positive. At the same time, it’s also an important sign for myself; all the effort I’ve put in over the past few weeks seems to be paying off a bit. So I’m just going to continue like this.””Tsunoda put up a strong defense against the attacks from Lando Norris and former teammate Liam Lawson. The latter eventually overtook him, but he managed to keep the McLaren driver at a safe distance. “That was not easy,” Tsunoda admitted. “I couldn’t overtake myself, of course – I didn’t want to risk McLaren gaining even more places.” The Red Bull driver claimed to have done everything in his power to bring Verstappen closer in the drivers’ championship. “This makes me feel good,” he concluded optimistically. “Finishing in P6 – I think I did the right thing.”
