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RB driver Yuki Tsunoda has admitted that the only difference in driving for Red Bull would be the “pressure,” but claimed he is not worried about stepping up in the future.
Tsunoda not worried
Tsunoda has been rumoured to be next in line for a call-up to Red Bull after Sergio Perez has been unable to keep up with his teammate Max Verstappen in the first half of the season.
The Mexican driver last finished ahead of Verstappen at the Australian Grand Prix in March when the Dutchman retired from the race.
Meanwhile, Tsunoda has outperformed his RB teammate Daniel Ricciardo in 2024, with the Japanese driver ten points ahead in the Drivers’ Championship.
When asked by RacingNews365 whether moving up to the parent team, Red Bull will change his approach to racing, Tsunoda said:
“I think those things; I’m not really worried about it.
“Again, what I have to do, if I stepped up to Red Bull is exactly the same as what I’m doing right now.
“It’s just the situation is a little bit different and maybe pressure-wise, it would be a little bit different as well.
“But in the end, the target and things I’m doing are exactly the same, so I’m not really worried about the environment change.”
Tsunoda on the move?
The 24-year-old is on course to beat teammate Ricciardo for the second season running in what is his fourth season in the sport, being outperformed by former partner Pierre Gasly in his debut season in 2021 and 2022.
Meanwhile, a decision on Perez’s future was made. The former McLaren driver will stay with Red Bull until the end of the season despite rumours of a mid-season departure.
Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner confirmed they were “looking forward to seeing him perform at circuits where he’s done well before” in the second half of the season.
However, the RB driver admitted there was still work to be done, claiming he would continue to “concentrate” on what he was doing.
“A little bit [of talks], I would say – but it’s not significant [with] different targets or decisive conversations that make my future,” added Tsunoda.
“Both Helmut and Christian are saying, I still have to perform and concentrate on what I’m doing.
“But if they’re happy with what I’m doing right now, I’ll just keep improving, show my good performance and see how it goes. It’s not like it’s things that I hear over my future.”
Featured image: Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images