Yuki Tsunoda now shares what ‘I heard from Red Bull’ on F1 future at AlphaTauri

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Yuki Tsunoda has now opened up on what the AlphaTauri driver has ‘heard from Red Bull’ regarding his future on the F1 grid with his contract due to expire later this year.

The 23-year-old just has a deal to drive for the Faenza-based team until the end of the 2023 season. Red Bull have given Tsunoda one-year deals throughout his time on the F1 grid since debuting for AlphaTauri in 2021. He was even ‘surprised’ they kept him for the 2022 season.

Tsunoda struggled to make the initial step up from Formula 2 to Formula 1 after only a year in the feeder series. The Sagamihara, Kanagawa native finished third in the F2 series to Mick Schumacher and Callum Ilott. He finished 15 points off the F2 title after claiming three wins.

Yuki Tsunoda ‘less worried’ about a new contract with AlphaTauri

Quickly, Tsunoda established a reputation in Formula 1 with his abrasive radio messages and for making a number of unforced errors. But the Japanese gem ironed out most of his errors to close the gap to teammate Pierre Gasly during 2022 before the Frenchman joined Alpine.

Gasly still won their head-to-head battle at AlphaTauri in 2022 with a 15 to seven difference in the Grands Prix and 13 to nine record in qualifying. But the 27-year-old said that Tsunoda ‘improved massively’ in 2022 and has continued to in 2023 despite AlphaTauri’s lack of pace.

Tsunoda ranks 17th in the driver’s championship with three points after 10th place results at the Australian, Azerbaijan and Belgian Grands Prix. His three points are the only points that AlphaTauri have taken as Red Bull’s sister team props up the 2023 constructor’s standings.

Yuki Tsunoda shares what ‘I heard from Red Bull’ about F1 future

Given what Tsunoda has given AlphaTauri in his third year on the F1 grid, the Honda-backed driver is ‘less worried’ about Red Bull offering him a new contract for the 2024 season. He is also open to further developing his talent in the areas that Red Bull feel he should clean up.

“I’m probably less worried than last year,” Tsunoda said, via quotes by Motorsport Week. “I think as a driver position, I am in the team a lot different compared [to] last year. And, so far, I heard from Red Bull [that] they’re happy with it.

“Still, I know what I can improve. I know I can have a big step [to be a] more better driver. So, I’m not really worried about that and I’m not really stressing with that. More focusing to what they want me to improve, and I know what they want me to improve.

“So, it’s [a] good thing for me that they always gave me the kind of clear target what I have to improve. Which is, for me, I get focused on those things. It’s good for me that what they want to have to me to be a [better] driver. So, yeah, it’s okay.”