Yuki Tsunoda believes that Liam Lawson's return to the Formula 1 grid this weekend in Austin with RB will add "a bit more spice" to their rivalry in the final six races of the season, with both drivers gunning for a sport at Red Bull Racing in 2025.
Lawson has been handed Daniel Ricciardo’s seat at RB for the remainder of the season, but Red Bull team boss Christian Horner has hinted that the upcoming races will equate to a veritable showdown between the kiwi and Tsunoda.
The Japanese charger was resigned for 2025 by RB and comprehensively outpaced Ricciardo during this year’s campaign. But oddly, and contrary to Lawson, Tsunoda has rarely been mentioned as a candidate for a promotion to Red Bull Racing, until now.
Therefore, the stakes are high between RB’s two drivers, a fact that Tsunoda readily acknowledges.
"I'm sure it will increase the kind of mentality of trying to not get beaten, but I guess that's natural," Tsunoda said ahead of this weekend's US Grand Prix, reflecting on his inner-team rivalry with Lawson.
"Maybe slightly a bit more spice on top of it than usual, but I think it was similar to last year as well. I know that those things are just floating around anyway.
"But at least on my side, I just focus on what I have to do, and obviously Liam will do a good job as well.
"I'll make sure I'll be ahead of him, and hopefully we can achieve P6 in the team championship. That's the main goals."
Tsunoda admitted that the pressure to prove himself worthy of a promotion to the senior Red Bull team has been a constant factor throughout the season. And it will be more of the same with Lawson.
"I thought it's kind of like this situation already with Daniel," he explained. "Those sort of things, it's always floating around anyway. To be honest, I got used to it and there's no point to talk about it.
"I just have to keep proving myself as a result and how I work throughout the race weekends; keep focusing on what I have to do and those opportunities, it's up to them and we'll see how it goes.”
Tsunoda is acutely aware that consistent performance is crucial in securing a future Red Bull seat.
"You have to be ahead all the time and that will be what depends on the next year's contract and everything,” he added.
"But it's always for me, it's part of the whole season and we built already until this point, including Daniel, that P6 right now in the teams' championship.
"If we weren't able to achieve those things, I would get very frustrated at the end of the season."
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