Credits: IMAGO / PanoramiC
The Japanese Talent Will Stay With The Red Bull Partner Team For an Extra Year
During the Canadian Grand Prix weekend, VCARB announced it had taken up the option to keep Yuki Tsunoda with the team for the 2025 season. Next year will mark his fifth season with the team since joining in 2021 with backing from Honda.
The talent has always been there for the Japanese native and he proved his consistency by starting off the 2024 season strong where he has scored 19 points in the first eight races so far. Confirming and making his 2025 drive official was only a matter of time. The only real speculation was that other teams may have sought him for the 2025 season.
Tsunoda Happy to Stay
After the team made the announcement, the talented Japanese driver expressed his delight and appreciation for staying with them.
“I’m very happy to be staying with Visa Cash App RB and it’s a good feeling to have my future decided so early in the year,” Tsunoda said. “For that, I want to thank everyone at Red Bull and Honda who have played such an important role in my career and will continue to do so.” – “The team has a big development project ahead and I’m excited to be part of it. It’s great to know that everyone appreciates all the hard work I have put in and that the team believes I can help it move further up the grid.”– “We have already made clear progress this season and that really motivates me to always give of my best and that’s what I’ll continue to do with VCARB.”
The Bosses Also Pleased
With decisions still to be made on what to do with Daniel Ricciardo in the other seat and Liam Lawson also in the picture, holding on to Tsunoda was an easy choice for team boss Laurent Mekies.
“I watched Yuki’s progress in Formula 1 with interest even before I returned to Faenza and it’s been impressive, year after year,” — “The step up he has made this year is simply phenomenal, and he keeps surprising us all, race after race.” — “There’s no doubting his natural speed to which he has now added a much more mature approach and this combination makes him a very quick and consistent performer, and a great team player.”
That wasn’t the only boss happy to sing Tsunoda’s praises. Team VCARB CEO Peter Bayer had this to say about the valuable driver:
“Yuki is a graduate of both the Red Bull and Honda junior driver programmes and it’s thanks to a good job from all parties that he’s been able to reach his current level of performance.” — “He is a valuable asset on and off the race track, as his engaging nature has made him very popular with fans around the world. We are excited that he is staying with us.”
What This Means For Tsunoda
Though the team primarily made this decision, Tsunoda likely feels content staying with VCARB. There’s no urgency for him to leave, as the team has significantly improved the car’s performance this season. The VCARB 01 is a considerable upgrade from previous machinery, consistently achieving top 10 finishes. It’s competitive in both qualifying and races, supporting talented drivers like Tsunoda and veterans like Ricciardo when he’s at his best. Whether Tsunoda decides to move beyond the “junior” Red Bull team in the future or not, for now and in 2025, he remains in a position to compete for points and showcase his talent.
