Photo: Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool
Red Bull Racing is rumored to be preparing for Yuki Tsunoda's first-ever test with the team after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with Honda pushing hard for the opportunity. As the season draws to a close, motorsport advisor Helmut Marko hints at exciting possibilities for the Japanese driver alongside other young talents.
Red Bull might be preparing to give Yuki Tsunoda his first-ever test with the team, rumored to happen after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Supposedly, Honda is pushing for Tsunoda to get a chance in a Red Bull car. So far, he has only had the chance to test with AlphaTauri, and his experience in Red Bull has mostly come from demo events.
Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s motorsport advisor, publicly hinted that the team has some plans for Tsunoda at the end of the season. When further asked, Helmut replied, “We have some plans for Abu Dhabi, yes. But we have various drivers, you know. We have [Isack] Hadjar, for example, and now we have Liam [Lawson].”
It’s a bit confusing to get exactly what Marko means, but we can hope that Tsunoda could be behind the wheel of the Red Bull RB20 during the post-season tire test. This test always happens on the Tuesday after the season finale, and the team must run two cars. One is always driven by a racer with a Superlicence for tire testing, while the other car is for young drivers who’ve competed in no more than two Grands Prix. If Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez decide to sit out, Tsunoda could be the first candidate to get his chance in the RB20.
They might also have a young driver like Hadjar in one of the cars, along with other options like Honda junior Ayumu Iwasa or simulator driver Jake Dennis, who had a run in a practice session last year.
The final decision will depend on whether Red Bull thinks one of their current drivers should move up to the main team next year, especially if they decide to part ways with Sergio Perez.
Lawson has recently been brought in to replace Daniel Ricciardo for these final races so Red Bull could test him. He has had a great weekend in Austin so far, making an impressive performance by climbing from the back of the grid to finish in ninth.
Koji Watanabe, president of Honda’s racing arm HRC, emphasized that he’s advocating for Tsunoda to get a chance with Red Bull. “We believe he has the talent. Of course, driver decisions are ultimately up to the team, but as a partner, we’ve strongly requested that Tsunoda be given the chance to drive and test in a Red Bull car,” he said. “We want to at least give him the opportunity to showcase his ability. I’ve also spoken directly with Christian about this. He hasn’t ruled it out. Nothing has been decided yet, but I think we need to proceed properly.”
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