Tsunoda confirmed Red Bull have set out “a couple” of targets if he is to be considered for a promotion, and “it’s pretty clear the things I have to improve”, but then stated that even if those are achieved, “I don’t know if they will decide to put me in [the car]”.
Asked specifically if he feels that he already deserves to be racing for Red Bull, Tsunoda commented: “I don’t know about previous years, but this year, yeah.”
EXCLUSIVE: ‘It was just pure relief’ – Lawson on his ‘rollercoaster’ 2024, replacing ‘great guy’ Ricciardo and his Red Bull goal
As for how Lawson’s return impacts him, after the New Zealander’s impressive stand-in display in 2023, Tsunoda repeated that he is focused on his own driving and trying to help RB achieve their aforementioned constructors’ championship objective.
“It’s not my first time with team mates being changed, so it’s not a completely new environment or something that makes me feel extra pressure,” he said. “Pressure is always there, so I’ll do what I was doing previously.
“I like driving, I’m enjoying racing, I’m keeping focused, trying to make our car better with the engineers, as a whole team, working together. I like that kind of environment and I’m just enjoying that moment.”
