Honda get involved to ask Red Bull to give Yuki Tsunoda a chance
"He hasn't ruled it out. Nothing has been decided yet, but I think we need to proceed properly."
Honda are pushing Red Bull to give Yuki Tsunoda a test to “showcase his ability”.
Despite being part of the Red Bull family for several years, Tsunoda has never tested Red Bull machinery.
Since Pierre Gasly’s departure from AlphaTauri (now RB) at the end of 2022, Tsunoda has been consistently Red Bull’s second-best driver behind Max Verstappen.
Despite seeing off Nyck de Vries and Daniel Ricciardo, Tsunoda isn’t thought to be under consideration by Red Bull as a possible replacement for Sergio Perez, who continues to underperform.
Koji Watanabe, who is president of the Honda Racing Corporation, has revealed he’s spoken with Christian Horner over giving Tsunoda a test for Red Bull.
“Regarding Tsunoda, our goal is for him to work hard and secure a seat at Red Bull Racing,” Watanabe told Motorsport.com
“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. 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.”
Red Bull’s partnership with Honda comes to an end next year.
Red Bull will build their own engines from 2026, while Honda have teamed up with Aston Martin.
Despite this fact, Watanabe remains fully supportive of Tsunoda and his pursuit of a Red Bull drive.
“If all goes well and Tsunoda's abilities are recognised, I believe he could remain with Red Bull beyond 2026 and compete for championships,” he added.
“It would be ideal for Tsunoda to become more of a Red Bull driver. It's not as if he's parting ways with Honda forever. His current focus should be on securing a Red Bull seat, and if that's his goal, he should pursue it.”
