Yuki Tsunoda has been one of the most impressive drivers in the midfield teams this year as rumours swirl over the future of Sergio Pérez.
Clauses in the Mexican’s contract could mean he has two races to save his Red Bull career. After scoring just 15 points over the last 6 rounds, the 6-time race winner is under massive pressure to improve his form in Hungary and Spa, to help Max Verstappen and his team in both championships.
Tsunoda has outqualified teammate Daniel Ricciardo 9-3 in the Grand Prix sessions this year, and he leads his teammate 20-11 in points. Following tricky events in Spain and Austria, the Japanese returned to good form at Silverstone as he managed to take a point and beat faster cars to it.
Asked if the next two events are massive due to the increased pressure on Sergio Pérez, the 24-year-old admitted that is the case.
“If the rumors are true, yes.
“But to be honest, like I said, I don’t know the exact situation around. To be honest, it’s probably the same as you guys. Less information than you guys probably.
“In the end, every race is very important. Like myself, the contract is not really fixed for many years.
“In the end, the same things are as usual, to be honest.”
Nonetheless, Tsunoda does not feel any extra pressure heading into Hungary and Spa, believing not knowing whether he had a future in the sport after a very difficult start to his rookie season in 2021 was worse.
“Let’s see, I don’t feel so much pressure or anything.
“Those things will probably naturally come with different situations. But, I mean, there are a lot more worse pressures than probably now.
“Probably now, it’s good pressure rather than bad pressure, if you compare the last three years, not knowing what you’re going to do next year. That’s worse.
“I mean, in the end, like I said, I’m very focused on the current Visa Cash App team and see how it goes.”
Liam Lawson ran in the RB20 at Silverstone last Thursday as the New Zealander ran in a filming day for the team.
During his spell replacing the injured Daniel Ricciardo at RB last year, Lawson impressed many, bagging points in Singapore following a superb run to Q3 in qualifying.
He beat Tsunoda on merit in Japan in the Grand Prix itself. However, the Japanese driver did win the qualifying head-to-head 4-1, and he was unlucky in the races in the Netherlands (strategy), Italy (DNS due to unreliability), and Singapore (taken out by Pérez).
Tsunoda admits he would find it very strange if Lawson gets picked over him for the Red Bull drive should Pérez be removed, considering the performances he has put in himself.
“If they choose Liam, that would be weird.
“I mean, for sure, Liam did a really good job when he drove in the team, but I think I did more than that.
“And we’ll see how it goes. In the end, they know how to manage the drivers.”
