Tsunoda: 'I want to get to choose what team I drive for'

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Yuki Tsunoda says he hopes to reach a point in his F1 career where he will be able to choose the team for which he drives for.

As a Red Bull protégé, Tsunoda is currently constrained to AlphaTauri, the 23-year-old Japanese driver running in his third season among motorsport's elite with Red Bull's sister outfit.

After two seasons marked by a wave of inconsistent results, Tsunoda has stepped up his performance this year, although he has only scored two top-ten finishes year-to-date.

But the AlphaTauri charger is slowly building his experience and maturity and leveraging the latter to perform more consistently, also outpacing his highly-rated rookie teammate Nyck de Vries.

Tsunoda's progress could make him a legitimate successor to Sergio Perez at Red Bull Racing if the Mexican continues to underperform, but for now the Japanese driver is keeping his head down and not thinking about the future.

"I think Checo has a contract next year, and I guess Red Bull are happy with him,” Tsunoda told GiveMeSport.

"So, for now, I just have to focus on myself and show my value. I think time will tell anyway. I think it’s good to actually stay for now at AlphaTauri and show my performance to all the teams."

Read also: Tsunoda left fuming over 'ridiculous and really unfair' penalty

While happy to remain at Faenza in the near-term, Tsunoda aspires to become the master of his own destiny in F1, even if that means leaving the Red Bull family.

"It’s good to have more attention not just from Red Bull," he said. "I don’t get to choose what team I want to go to or what things I want to do in Formula 1 yet, I think Red Bull will still get to choose, so I want to get to a point as a driver where I get to choose.

"Obviously I want to go to a team that I know, based on the last few years, has been consistently high.

"Maybe one day AlphaTauri will be in that top part and in that case then there’s no reason to go to other teams.

"But anyway, it’s good to have lots of attention because it shows that I have much value and I think we as drivers we’re happy with things like this."

Last month, in the wake of the announcement of the future partnership between Aston Martin and Honda, the engine manufacturer said that Aston fielding a Japanese driver in 2026 was an appealing idea, with Tsunoda singled out as a potential candidate.

"He is from our school and he is doing very well. We’re very happy to see him succeeding," said Honda Racing Corporation president Koji Watanabe.

"But we still have three years to go so it’s too early to say what will happen. I don’t think it’s the time to talk about this. But we’re hoping he will become a candidate."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.