F1 star in promising Red Bull driver lineup upd

F1 star in promising Red Bull driver lineup update as search takes fresh twist….read more

A prominent Formula 1 driver, reportedly in contention to replace Sergio Perez at Red Bull, has given an encouraging update regarding his chances, adding a new twist to the ongoing driver lineup saga. Perez’s future with Red Bull is uncertain, as team advisor Helmut Marko recently acknowledged that discussions about the team’s 2025 driver lineup would soon be taking place. The Mexican driver’s performance in the latter part of the 2024 season has led to increasing speculation about his position, especially with Red Bull’s dominating performance throughout the year, highlighted by Max Verstappen’s stellar record.

Perez struggled in the final nine races of the season, accumulating only 13 points, while his teammate Verstappen secured a remarkable nine victories, clinching a fourth consecutive world championship title. This disparity in performance has raised questions about Perez’s role, particularly as Red Bull, after a dominant start to the season, fell out of the constructors’ championship race, highlighting the gap between the two drivers.

Amid these concerns, Red Bull has several young talents on their radar, with potential replacements for Perez already being discussed. Among these are Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda, both current drivers for Red Bull’s sister team, AlphaTauri. Additionally, Isack Hadjar, who finished as the runner-up in the Formula 2 championship, is also awaiting a chance for a full-time Formula 1 seat. While Lawson has been considered the frontrunner to partner Verstappen in 2025, it was Tsunoda who was given a rare opportunity to impress Red Bull during the end-of-season test in Abu Dhabi, driving the team’s RB20 car.

Tsunoda has now shared his thoughts on the test and the feedback he received from Red Bull, suggesting that the team was impressed with his performance and conduct during the session. The Japanese driver revealed that Red Bull’s engineers, both on-site and remotely based at the factory in Milton Keynes, praised his feedback, describing it as one of the highlights of the test. Tsunoda acknowledged that his speed was never a concern for Red Bull, as the team has always recognized his ability to compete at a high level. However, he emphasized that Red Bull’s main focus was on other aspects of his performance, particularly his feedback and his behavior within the team environment.

“My feedback was a key target for me during the test,” Tsunoda stated at an end-of-season Honda Racing event. “I heard a lot about how impressed they were, especially with how I communicated with the engineers. This feedback didn’t just come from those on the track, but also from the engineers at Red Bull’s factory, who were observing remotely. They mentioned how impressed they were with my input, which I’m really happy about.”

Tsunoda elaborated that Red Bull’s primary focus was to assess his ability to integrate into the team and his contribution beyond just driving speed. “While they know my speed is not a problem, what they wanted to see was how I could contribute off the track,” Tsunoda explained. He continued, saying that Red Bull was particularly interested in understanding how he conducts himself during tests, his behavior in the car, and his ability to offer detailed, useful feedback to engineers. He stressed the importance of clear communication and providing as much technical information as possible during a test session.

This audition in Abu Dhabi could be a significant moment for Tsunoda’s Formula 1 future, with the possibility of securing a seat with Red Bull or another team. The positive feedback he received indicates that he may be a serious contender for a full-time seat in 2025, especially as Red Bull evaluates potential replacements for Perez. While Lawson remains a strong candidate, Tsunoda’s performance has certainly added another layer of intrigue to the ongoing driver lineup discussions. The team’s emphasis on feedback and team dynamics shows that Red Bull is looking for more than just speed from their drivers, making Tsunoda’s experience and approach an important factor in their decision-making process.

The coming months are expected to bring more clarity on Red Bull’s driver lineup, as Perez’s uncertain future and the rising stars within Red Bull’s talent pool continue to shape the narrative for 2025. Tsunoda’s strong test performance has put him firmly in the conversation, but much will depend on how he continues to develop in the eyes of the Red Bull team, as well as the ongoing discussions regarding Perez’s position.