Yuki Tsunoda thinks Sebastian Vettel would be an asset for Red Bull if his former team can convince the four-time world champion to return to the Formula 1 paddock.
Vettel's F1 racing days are over, but that does not mean he is completely finished with the sport. He has admitted since announcing his retirement that he is not willing to completely close the door on a return one day.
Tsunoda was answering a question about the AlphaTauri leadership when he suggested Vettel should be considered by his old team. Franz Tost, 67, said last month that he will no longer be on the pit wall by the time he turns 70.
Appearing on F1's Beyond the Grid podcast, Tsunoda gave his reaction to that admission by his team principal. "I will definitely miss him. We share a lot of moments together," said the Japanese racer.
"We're always on the same page. He has a lot of leadership. I will miss him, especially feeling the support he gives me so, if I lose him, maybe I won't feel as comfortable or excited in the team compared to usual."
Interviewer Tom Clarkson then speculated about who might replace Tost, who has led the team since it was bought by Red Bull and rebranded from Minardi to Toro Rosso. He suggested Vettel might be a good leader on the pit wall, to which Tsunoda replied with a suggestion of his own.
He believes Vettel would be an ideal man to look after Red Bull's younger drivers. That function is currently carried out by Helmut Marko who has an excellent track record of developing talent, but he turns 80 this month and will not be able to carry on forever.
Tsunoda said: "That would be really interesting to see how Sebastian would be as a team manager. He can be anything. For example, what Helmut Marko is doing now with Red Bull juniors. I think Sebastian would also be very good at taking care of Red Bull juniors because he's one of the most successful drivers in Formula 1.
"I can tell from all the race briefings from last year before qualifying, he always said the points where we have to improve in terms of track, the curb or something like that. He was the first guy to raise his hands so I think Sebastian can be that guy."
