Daniel Ricciardo told he played crucial ‘part’ in Yuki Tsunoda’s earning his Red Bull promotion

Yuki Tsunoda has had to wait nearly 100 Grand Prix but he will finally achieve his dream of driving for Red Bull Racing at the perfect venue.

The Japanese Grand Prix hosts the third race of the 2025 Formula 1 season and will be the venue for Yuki Tsunoda’s surprise Red Bull debut.

Red Bull decided to swap Tsunoda for Liam Lawson following the Chinese Grand Prix after two point-less outings for the 23-year-old.

Lawson had struggled to get to grips with the RB21, and in particular, his one-lap was a concern, failing to progress through Q1 on all three occasions this year.

Announcing that @yukitsunoda07 will partner Max from the #JapaneseGP 🇯🇵 pic.twitter.com/Pz05P7cFKF

— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) March 27, 2025

At the end of the race in China, Lawson echoed the thoughts of Max Verstappen on the team radio and will be desperate to bounce back with Racing Bulls at Suzuka.

Tsunoda has had to see off several teammates in recent years to prove his credentials to team principal Christian Horner.

Daniel Ricciardo was parachuted back into the team midway through the 2023 campaign to replace Nyck de Vries, and while his comeback ultimately ended in disappointment, he may have played a crucial role in Tsunoda’s eventual promotion.

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The crucial role Daniel Ricciardo played in Yuki Tsunoda’s recent improvement

Journalist Edd Straw was discussing the Red Bull driver conundrum on The Race F1 Podcast and was examining Tsunoda’s technique.

The RB21 is extremely difficult to drive and appears to suit Verstappen’s unique driving style more than any of his teammates.

Straw was studying Tsunoda’s recent strong performances and said: “I’m quite interested in how he adapts technique-wise as a driver because one of the advantages he’s got is, kind of fundamentally as a driver, he’s a sort of late-breaking attack-the-corner kind of driver.

“That’s his sort of default style, which won’t work with this car.

“However, he has gone through that process of understanding how to broaden his window, certainly when Ricciardo came in to what was called AlphaTauri at that time when he first came in, the progress that they made, there was a little bit more of understanding that you don’t necessarily have to have that sort of approach with the corner.

“So, I think he’s slightly broadened his window and adaptability, and Ricciardo’s played a part in that, interestingly.

“So, I think that puts him in a better place to make the most of this opportunity than had he been pitched into a Red Bull, say, 18 months ago for the sake of argument.

“He’s an interesting place because he’s still a young driver, but he’s got a decent bedrock of experience.”

READ MORE: Daniel Ricciardo’s life outside F1 from net worth to girlfriend

Yuki Tsunoda under Helmut Marko’s microscope after admitting Liam Lawson ‘mistake’

The pressure has been on Tsunoda for some time at Racing Bulls as it became clear he was never Red Bull’s preferred choice to be Verstappen’s teammate.

Tsunoda’s contract expires at the end of the season, and with primary backer Honda leaving to work exclusively with Aston Martin, it appeared as though the 24-year-old was likely heading out the door as well.

Red Bull promoting Tsunoda offers him an unexpected lifeline and if he can be the driver to finally fulfil the number two role alongside the four-time world champion, then they may have no choice but to extend his deal.

Helmut Marko admitted choosing Lawson was a mistake and has been impressed with Tsunoda’s performances in 2025.

That attitude could very quickly change if Lawson rediscovers his form from last season and Tsunoda fails to impress in front of his home fans next weekend.