Franco Colapinto to Red Bull, Yuki Tsunoda admits: “I’d be surprised if he’s not an option”. Yuki Tsunoda reacts to Franco Colapinto possibly joining Red Bull.

The Sergio Perez Situation
The confirmation of Gabriel Bortoleto joining Sauber for 2025 has effectively narrowed the driver market for the upcoming season to the Red Bull family. On paper, Sergio Perez’s two-year contract leaves little room for speculation, but the Mexican’s underwhelming performances continue to raise serious doubts about his future at Milton Keynes, with several candidates reportedly lined up to replace him.

Franco Colapinto to Red Bull: Not a Surprise to Yuki Tsunoda
Among these candidates, in addition to Liam Lawson, the standout surprise of the latter half of this season is undoubtedly Franco Colapinto. The rookie, signed by Williams to replace Logan Sargeant, has quickly become a sensation, so much so that Christian Horner is reportedly considering the Italo-Argentine as a potential teammate for Max Verstappen as early as 2025. This possibility wouldn’t surprise Yuki Tsunoda, as the Japanese driver admitted to the media: “He’s definitely doing a good job,” he said. “I don’t know much about these things, but I’d be surprised if he’s not an option. He’s performing well and doesn’t yet have a seat for next season.”

Ready for Red Bull
However, signing Franco Colapinto to Red Bull would disrupt Yuki Tsunoda’s own ambitions, as he has also been touted as a potential future teammate for Max Verstappen during this Formula 1 season. “I’m ready for Red Bull, I really think so,” Yuki Tsunoda confirmed. “Verstappen is always the driver you want to race alongside. He’s the best so far, incredibly skilled, and you’d definitely want to learn a lot from him. I’d simply like to see how things go and learn. For now, I’m just focusing on what I need to do. So far, I haven’t quite achieved what I want to. So, yeah, we’ll see how it goes.” – the Japanese driver concluded.