Tsunoda expresses surprise over Helmut Marko’s silence after his surprise promotion to Red Bull Racing, focusing on teammate goals.
Yuki Tsunoda has expressed surprise over not receiving any communication from Helmut Marko about his promotion to Red Bull Racing, calling the situation “very unusual.”
Last week, Red Bull made the tough decision to demote Liam Lawson to their sister team, Racing Bulls, after just two races in his first season. Tsunoda was then promoted as part of a direct swap.
Tsunoda Surprised by Marko’s Silence
Originally ruled out by Red Bull for 2025, Tsunoda will become Max Verstappen’s fifth teammate since 2018 and is set to make his debut with the main Red Bull team at this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix, his home race.
The Japanese driver remains puzzled by the lack of contact from Marko, his mentor and Red Bull’s advisor, since he learned of the decision from team principal Christian Horner.
“The first call I got was from Christian right after China, telling me to prepare for a possible change in my situation. I think it was on Tuesday or something like that,” Tsunoda said ahead of the Suzuka race.
“Surprisingly, Helmut hasn’t called me yet, which is very unusual. I don’t know if he’s been busy with something else. I’m looking forward to seeing him and how he reacts to my move. But yes, it’s definitely strange.”
“From F3 to F1, he would call me all the time, but this time, he hasn’t. So, I’m sure there’s nothing new to hear from him. We still have a good relationship, so we’ll see how he reacts.”
Tsunoda’s Goal: Match Verstappen’s Pace
Tsunoda also shared the goals Horner has set for him ahead of his first race weekend with Red Bull.
“The goal is to be as close as possible to Max, which would naturally bring a good result for the team.”
“This also supports the team’s race strategy. They’ve clearly stated that Max is the absolute priority, which I completely understand since he’s a four-time world champion and, despite the car’s difficulties, he’s been performing well.”
“So, it’s about being as close as possible to Max. I also want to contribute to the development with my feedback. They seemed very pleased with my input during the Abu Dhabi test, so I’m continuing that approach.”
“For now, my top priority is to be as close to him as possible, which will certainly not be easy.”
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Tsunoda Aims to Close the Gap to Verstappen at Red Bull Tsunoda Aims to Close the Gap to Verstappen at Red Bull
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