Yuki Tsunoda reveals he is “less worried than last year” about his future with AlphaTauri.
After encountering a tough debut season with Red Bull’s second-string side in 2021, Tsunoda admitted he was “surprised” to be retained for a second year.
However, Tsunoda improved considerably in his sophomore campaign, reducing the margin to then team-mate Pierre Gasly and eradicating the amount of unforced errors.
The Japanese driver has progressed further in 2023, delivering amid a difficult year for AlphaTauri to score the entirety of the Faenza-based squad’s three points.
When asked about his thoughts on next year with his place on the grid not yet confirmed, Tsunoda said ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix last month: “I’m probably less worried than last year. Because like I said, I think as a driver position I am in the team a lot different compared last year.
“And so far I heard from Red Bull they’re happy with it, so… Still, I know what I can improve like what I can… I know I can have a big step [to be a] more better driver. So I’m not really worried about that, and I’m not really stressing with that. More focusing to what they want me to improve, and I know what they want me to improve.
“So it’s good thing for me, that they always gave me the kind of clear target what I have to improve. Which is for me I get focused on those things. It’s good for me that what they want to have to me to be a [good] driver. So yeah, it’s okay.”
Following Gasly’s departure to Alpine over the winter, Red Bull elected to hire Nyck de Vries, but the Dutchman was unable to hit the ground running in his rookie season.
Having only managed to beat Tsunoda in two of the 20 competitive sessions they shared in the AT04, de Vries was axed ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix and replaced by ex-Red Bull race winner Daniel Ricciardo.
But the Australian only lasted two race weekends before a broken hand sustained in FP3 at Zandvoort ruled him out of action, prompting AlphaTauri to call on the services of Red Bull reserve driver Liam Lawson.
Tsunoda, however, has dismissed that the changes on the opposite side of the garage have impacted him, insisting that his focus remains on ensuring he delivers on the track.
“It’s OK. I think in the end I just have to focus on what I have to do,” he said on Thursday at Monza when questioned on having three different team-mates this year. “The things I have to do is the same as usual: score points, have good results.
“Obviously, I would say more towards the team it doesn’t help probably. It’s not easy, like changing to another driver in one week, it’s very difficult.
“But I think Liam is doing the job and also all the drivers doing a good job so far as well. Same for Daniel as well. Daniel started to get used to it more and he had a good session and then right after he got an unfortunate incident and Liam he just jumped into the FP3 and he did well in qualifying and the race.
“I think we’re all working well. It’s not that easy but for myself not much difference.”
AlphaTauri currently languish bottom of the Constructors’ Championship, seven points behind Alfa Romeo one position above.
The Italian outfit’s hopes of adding to its meagre points tally at last weekend’s Italian Grand Prix were dented by Tsunoda failing to even take the start when he broke down on the initial formation lap.
Reflecting on what occurred, the 23-year-old explained: “First of all, I heard something with the sounds from the gearbox, or an engine sound. And after that I didn’t feel any torque or something like that from my engine or the gearbox.”
