Yuki Tsunoda reveals he’s received supportive messages from drivers who struggled to succeed in the second Red Bull seat alongside Max Verstappen.

Tsunoda is the latest driver to be given a chance to succeed in the second Red Bull, after the team opted to make a change after the first two races of the season as Liam Lawson was clearly struggling for performance and confidence.

Yuki Tsunoda reveals calls from Pierre Gasly and Sergio Perez

Tsunoda is the third driver to race alongside Verstappen in the last six months, following Lawson, who, himself, was a replacement for the struggling Sergio Perez.

The second Red Bull seat is seen as the most difficult in Formula 1, with any teammate of Verstappen likely to be shown up by a driver who not only is a proven generational talent, but has the benefit of almost a decade’s experience with Red Bull’s design philosophy and characteristics – meaning he can contend with the car’s foibles better than a newcomer.

Lawson’s replacement follows two other changes in the past. Present-day Williams driver Alex Albon was dropped from Red Bull’s line-up after the 2020 season in favour of Perez, while Albon himself replaced Pierre Gasly halfway through 2019 as the French driver struggled for confidence.

Tsunoda’s appointment is slightly different in that he boasts significant experience after four years with AlphaTauri/Racing Bulls, Red Bull’s sister team, but is facing the sternest challenge of his career so far.

Knowing the difficulties of racing alongside Verstappen at Red Bull, Tsunoda revealed he’s heard from his predecessors Perez and Gasly, with both offering advice on where things didn’t work out for them.

“I got a message from Pierre, that he wanted to call me about the experience he had in Red Bull,” Tsunoda said, “about the things he should have done in Red Bull and he wanted to share a couple of ideas he thought could work for the coming races in Red Bull.

“That was very nice of him, and very useful tips. I also got support from Checo [Perez] as well.

“All Red Bull family drivers gave me supportive messages. Those two have been very supportive to me, and I really appreciate it. They’re drivers I respect a lot, so I’m very happy.”

Gasly and Tsunoda enjoyed a close, brotherly relationship during their time together as teammates as AlphaTauri, with Gasly the ‘older brother’ before his departure to Alpine after 2022.

The French driver confirmed he and Tsunoda had spoken on the phone following the news of Tsunoda’s promotion, and said his advice had focused on “the way that I was also given this opportunity and just in terms of what didn’t quite work out and things that could have been different.”

Praising Tsunoda for how he’s improved over the years after a rocky start to his F1 career, Gasly said, “I think he’s got the experience, he’s got the speed. I’ve always backed him up. I’ve raced against him and with him for two years. I’ve seen his raw speed.

“I’ve seen what he was capable of doing already back at the time. We can look back in 2021, all these years, I’ve always said he was an extremely fast driver. So he’s got the speed. I think he’s got a strong character.

“Does it mean it’s going to be successful in Red Bull Racing? No. Can he be successful in Red Bull Racing? Yes.

“But it’s slightly more complicated than that. I just wish him the best. I’ve shared my thoughts and my experience from my time there.

“Time will tell, but I think he’s definitely a very strong driver. And in Formula 1 these days, you’ve got many strong drivers on the grid, so it’s not all down to your speed. There’s slightly more to it, but hopefully, he can make the best out of this opportunity.”

More on Red Bull’s driver swaps

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With Tsunoda famed for showing heightened emotions over team radio, often letting his temper get the better of him in the past, Gasly said it’s clear the Japanese driver has refined himself.

“I think he always had the raw speed. It was a little bit too hectic behind the wheel at times, on the radio,” he said.

“I think, in that sense, he’s matured enough in minimising the mistakes. It’s all a fine line between pushing right at the limit or overpushing slightly too much, which can be quite costly in Formula 1.

“And I think we’ve tuned that line. Looking at the past few seasons, I think he’s been putting in very strong performances. Speed-wise, he always had it. But in just minimising those mistakes, which could have been quite costly at the time — yeah.”

Alex Albon, another with experience of what Tsunoda is facing, said he’s delighted to see him finally get the chance to prove himself at the senior team.

“What I’m happy about is I think he’s always wanted this seat,” Albon said.

“He’s been licking his lips at the opportunity for it. He’s got it now, and I think he’s got the right mentality to go into it.

“I think you can’t be fearing it. You have to own it. You have to be confident. You have to go into it with that belief in yourself.”

What targets has Yuki Tsunoda been set?

With Tsunoda being given the assurance of Red Bull’s Helmut Marko that he will be in the Red Bull for the rest of this year, the Japanese driver said the goal he’s been given by team boss Christian Horner is just to be as close to Verstappen as possible.

“Which anyway gives good results for the team, also, it allows the team to support other strategies in the race,” Tsunoda explained.

“They’ve clearly said the main priority is Max, which I completely understand because he’s a four-time world champion, and so far, he’s already performed well in the last few races, even in difficult situations.

“So to be as close a possible to Max. Also, to help the development as well with my feedback. They were very happy with my feedback in Abu Dhabi, so just continue that. But the main priority is to be close to Max – which won’t be easy, for sure.

“I didn’t get any specific number of races or time to prove myself. He’s been very supportive so far and just mentioned the expectations he has of me – what he wants me to achieve.

“Pressure always comes once you hit the track. But for now, I feel really relaxed. It feels similar to when I was at VCARB.

“Once I entered hospitality, I was feeling the same, I was only thinking about breakfast! So far, I’m not necessarily feeling pressure. Those things will come naturally, especially during qualifying in the home Grand Prix. But there’s not much point in feeling pressure. I’m feeling confident and hope I can do something different from other drivers.”

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