Yuki Tsunoda needs to "score many more points" to make sure of a fourth season in Formula 1, his team boss declared.
The Japanese racer joined the Red Bull driver programme as part of the team's partnership with Honda. He did well enough in his one and only season in Formula 2, in 2020, to earn a place with their sister team AlphaTauri in the top category.
A return of 32 points in his rookie season was not bad, while his far less impressive results last year came in a season in which the team's car struggled to be competitive. Still, though, there is the feeling Tsunoda has more to prove.
Some of his issues have been off the track. He was relocated from Milton Keynes to Faenza after complaining about life in the UK and has also been criticised for his temperament – Helmut Marko referred to him as the team's "problem child" last year.
But, still, he was given a contract extension – a clear show of faith in his ability despite not yet having set the sport alight. To earn another deal at AlphaTauri, though, his results will have to improve.
That's what team boss Franz Tost said when discussing Tsunoda's situation at their recent car launch even in New York City. "Last year, Yuki struggled with the car," admitted the long-serving team principal.
But he added: "This year, as I expect we will have quite a competitive car, Yuki must always aim to be in Q3 and finish the races in the points. He is a very highly skilled driver and now has a lot of experience with two seasons in Formula 1. For this reason, of course, he has to score many more points than he did last year."
To help his preparations, Tsunoda has been working with Daniel Ricciardo's long-serving coach. With the Aussie absent from the grid this year, Michael Italiano has been brought in by AlphaTauri and recently spent time with his new client at a training camp in the UAE.
"One of the main targets of the camp was to build our relationship, so that we understand one another before testing and racing begins," said Tsunoda. "That went well and so did the actual training, where we focused mainly on the endurance side."
