Yuki Tsunoda has backed himself to step in and replace Sergio Perez at Red Bull. (Image: Getty)
Yuki Tsunoda has laid down a marker to the Red Bull chiefs ahead of a potential switch to the Formula One team’s main outfit at the end of next season.
Tsunoda has been mooted as a possible replacement for Sergio Perez, with the Mexican’s Red Bull future hanging in the balance.
Perez had been granted a new two-year extension earlier in the campaign, with the Milton Keynes-based outfit hoping the added job security would allow him to kick on.
That hasn’t exactly transpired though, with Perez failing to land a top-five finish in any of the races since.
It’s fuelled speculation about his future, with Tsunoda claiming he would be up to the job of replacing Perez, insisting he’d also give reigning world champion Max Verstappen a run for his money.
Speaking to RacingNews365, Tsunoda said: “I think I can fight hard with him [Verstappen]. He’s obviously very fast and consistent. So in terms of the Drivers’ Championship, I wouldn’t say I’m overly confident that I can beat him in the Drivers’ Championship from year one, but I wouldn’t make it easy for him!”
Sergio Perez’s future at Red Bull remains under question, despite the recent contract extension. (Image: Getty)
The Japanese driver continued: “I am confident that I can fight hard against him and I can learn a lot from him, especially consistency in all conditions, such as half-wet, dry, dry-wet and wet. He has always somehow adapted very well to changing conditions.
“That’s why he was so consistent last year and was able to win 19 races. Last year there were a lot of weather changes (during races) and those moments are not so much determined by the performance of the car.”
He added: “If you are a very bad driver and you are driving a good car, you are still a bad driver and you lose positions easily. So I can definitely learn a lot from those things.”
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Despite the bold claims, Tsunoda hasn’t set the world alight for Red Bull’s sister team VCARB, with his highest finish this season a seventh-placed finish in Australia. He does have 10 points more than veteran team-mate Daniel Ricciardo, though.
Tsunoda will be keen to improve further in the second half of the season, starting in the Netherlands when racing resumes after the summer break.
Drivers will descend on the Circuit Zandvoort at the end of the month, with the Italian and Azerbaijani Grands Prix to follow.
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