Red Bull alumni called Tsunoda for advice

There is every interest in making the marriage work. Between Red Bull et Yuki tsunoda, the union must work for both the Austrians and the Japanese. On the one hand, the team is running out of options in case of another failure of its second driver, due to a lack of young men ready to already step into the Red Bull (Hadjar, Lindblad, etc.). On the other, Yuki Tsunoda finally has a chance to prove his worth behind the wheel of the car he has coveted for four years.

Failure would put both parties in difficulty, but the Japanese driver is better equipped to succeed than his former teammate Liam Lawson, who burned his wings in just two races. With 89 Grands Prix under his belt, the Kanagawa native is starting to gain solid experience in Formula 1, but when you drive for Red Bull, the counters are reset. The Austrian team has unparalleled management and, above all, a car known for being delicate and modeled on the style of Max Verstappen.

Gasly and Perez share their experience at Tsunoda

Aware of what awaits him, Yuki Tsunoda was able to draw on the experiences of his predecessors to best prepare himself for a difficult task. His former teammate Pierre Gasly, who joined Red Bull in 2019, called him up, as did Sergio Perez, who gave up his place to Liam Lawson at the end of last season.

“I received a message from Pierre, who wanted to call me to tell me about his experience at Red Bull, revealed number 22. He wanted to share some things he should have done differently and give me some ideas that might help me for the next races with Red Bull. It was really nice of him, and his advice was very helpful. I also received a message from Sergio Pérez. The whole Red Bull driver family has sent me messages of support, and these two in particular have been very encouraging to me. I'm really grateful to them. They're drivers I respect a lot, so I'm very happy."

ALSO READ > Yuki Tsunoda confirms the RB21's instability after its passage in the simulator

“Yes, we spoke on the phone, confirmed Pierre Gasly a few minutes later. Obviously, there's how this opportunity was given to me, and then also what didn't really work out and what could have been different. He has experience, he has speed. I've always supported him. I raced against him and with him for two years. I've seen his speed increase, I've seen what he was capable of back then, and I've always said he's an extremely fast driver. He's fast, he's got a strong character. Does that mean he's going to succeed at Red Bull Racing? No. Can he succeed at Red Bull Racing? Yes. But it's a bit more complicated than that. I just wish him the best. I've shared my thoughts and experience from my time there. Time will tell, but he's definitely a very good driver. And in Formula 1 today, there are a lot of very good drivers on the grid. It's not just about speed; there are other factors to consider. But I sincerely hope he can make the most of this opportunity."

The first step for Yuki Tsunoda will be to achieve a strong performance in front of his home crowd at Suzuka for his 90th career Grand Prix, the first with Red Bull.

ALSO READ > Pierre Gasly supports Liam Lawson after his demotion: "I see myself in some of the things he experiences"