Despite missing out on a coveted spot at Red Bull Racing for the 2025 Formula 1 season, Yuki Tsunoda remains a focal point for the Racing Bulls' development ambitions. Team principal Alan Permane has made it clear that the team's mission is to prepare Tsunoda for a potential future with Red Bull, even after he was overlooked in favor of Liam Lawson for the role alongside by Max Verstappen.
Tsunoda's challenges and potential
Red Bull's decision to promote Lawson over Tsunoda was based on concerns about the Japanese driver's consistency and emotional control, despite his best season to date in 2024. Tsunoda's pace and technical feedback have impressed, but the The team remains focused on perfecting areas such as their racing skills and communication.
Permane, who joined Racing Bulls after a distinguished career in F1, admitted he initially shared widespread doubts about Tsunoda's ability to handle the pressure of top-level racing. However, working closely with the 24-year-old has changed his perspective.
“There are inconsistencies he needs to refine, many areas he needs to refine. But the speed is there, there's no doubt about it,” Permane told Autosport. “He's a pleasure to work with, and nothing would make me happier than to get him to a level where he could join the top team.”
The Lawson Factor
Liam Lawson's promotion to Red Bull reflects the team's belief in his mental resilience and readiness to thrive in one of the most demanding roles in Formula 1. Lawson's meteoric rise and strong performance in pressure situations ultimately gave him an advantage, but Racing Bulls remains committed to Tsunoda's progression.
What Racing Bulls is doing to help
Permane revealed that one of the areas of work for Tsunoda is to improve his communication under pressure. The team implemented innovative strategies to achieve this, including analyzing Verstappen's composed radio communication during high-stakes races, such as his remarkable victory from 17th to 1st place in Brazil.
“We showed him how Max and his engineer operate during tense moments, as if they were having a casual chat over coffee,” Permane said. “It’s the benchmark.”
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Tsunoda was also encouraged to emulate the calm demeanor of pilots like Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, both renowned for their unflappable nature in the cockpit.
Aiming for a seat at Red Bull
Racing Bulls is determined to help Tsunoda achieve his ultimate goal of a promotion to Red Bull Racing. Permane stressed that the team's role as a development hub for Red Bull remains central to their mission.
“Rightly, [un siège chez Red Bull] should be its goal, and it should be our goal too. If we can turn him into a race winner, that would be fantastic,” added Permane.
What's next for Tsunoda
With Lawson now firmly entrenched at Red Bull, Tsunoda must seize every opportunity to prove his worth at Racing Bulls. The team is confident that further improvement in areas like self-control, decision-making and consistency can make him an irresistible candidate for the senior team in the near future.
For now, Tsunoda will have to balance honing his skills with delivering solid results on the track, knowing that his path to Red Bull is still open—but time is running out.
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