F1 News: Former Driver Makes Bold Yuki Tsunoda Contract Prediction as Expiry Approaches

Former F1 driver Giancarlo Fisichella predicts a promising future for Yuki Tsunoda within the Red Bull family.

May 5, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; RB racing driver Yuki Tsunoda (22) walks into the F1 / Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

Former F1 driver Giancarlo Fisichella has expressed his views on Yuki Tsunoda's potential in the sport as the Japanese driver’s contract with RB approaches its conclusion at the end of the current 2024 season. Speculation about Tsunoda’s future within the Red Bull family intensifies, given upcoming changes and his current performance.

As Yuki Tsunoda's contract with Red Bull's sister team, Visa Cash App RB (VCARB or RB), nears its end in 2024, opinions on his future within the world of Formula 1 are swirling. Former F1 driver Giancarlo Fisichella recently offered some intriguing insights on Tsunoda's trajectory, suggesting that he could secure a more competitive seat within the paddock, possibly even within the main Red Bull team.

Tsunoda, currently 10th in the Drivers' Standings with a commendable 15 points, has shown a noteworthy uptick in both consistency and performance compared to his early days in the sport. His increased reliability and scoring potential have not gone unnoticed by veterans of the track like Fisichella who said during an interview with DAZN:

“We knew he was quick but he has also been very inconsistent in the past, making a lot of mistakes. This year, he is doing very well. It’s not the best car but he’s scoring points consistently. He can be quicker than Ricciardo who is also a great driver so I’ve been impressed with his season so far."

Complicating Tsunoda's future is the recent announcement that their engine supplier, Honda, will transfer its allegiance from Red Bull to Aston Martin in 2026. This shift fosters added speculation about whether Tsunoda might follow Honda, considering his ties to the Japanese manufacturer.

Despite this backdrop, Fisichella remains focused on the possibilities within Red Bull, pointing out potential movements involving other drivers such as Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz. He continued:

“I think it’s possible but it depends on what happens with Sergio Perez. They might decide to bring Carlos Sainz into the team but he’s still young and he can stay another year at RB and then there could be a possibility that he goes to Red Bull.”