Former world champion Damon Hill concludes that Yuki Tsunoda is unable to handle the pressure of driving for Red Bull Racing. Hill believes that Red Bull’s decision to retain Sergio Pérez as Max Verstappen’s teammate for the time being is a wise one.
It was announced in early June that Yuki Tsunoda will continue to drive for Visa Cash App RB until at least 2025. The Japanese driver made his Formula 1 debut in 2021 with AlphaTauri. Tsunoda will be entering his fifth year as a Formula 1 driver in 2025. However, a move to Red Bull does not seem to be on the cards for now. Around the same time as Tsunoda’s contract extension, Red Bull announced that Sergio Pérez will continue to drive alongside Max Verstappen in the coming years.
Former driver Damon Hill understands Red Bull’s choice of Pérez. “If you want Max to stay with you and show him what the future will look like, hiring Pérez might be a way to tell him: Look, this is what the future will look like, you won’t have a surprising new super-fast teammate to worry about“, Hill explains.
Too much pressure for Tsunoda?
According to the former world champion, Pérez is the best choice among all drivers within the Red Bull family to partner with Verstappen. “If you choose Liam Lawson, he still has to prove himself”, Hill explains why Red Bull did not opt for the New Zealander. “You can’t just come into F1 and be a dutiful number two, so he would have to pose a threat [to Verstappen].”
Hill also believes that Yuki Tsunoda is not a good choice. The Japanese driver has already proven himself in Formula 1 by out-qualifying his teammate Daniel Ricciardo five times this year. However, Hill does not see a move to Red Bull happening for Tsunoda. “Yuki Tsunoda has done a great job. I’m not sure if he can handle the pressure of driving for Red Bull.”
