Anthony Davidson Puzzled: Why Red Bull Consistently Sidelines Yuki Tsunoda Despite Stellar Performances

Former F1 racer perplexed that Yuki Tsunoda consistently goes unnoticed by Red Bull

Anthony Davidson is puzzled by Red Bull's continuous disregard for Yuki Tsunoda.

Former Formula 1 racer Anthony Davidson is puzzled as to why Yuki Tsunoda consistently goes unnoticed by Red Bull.

Tsunoda is poised to continue his journey with VCARB for the 2025 Formula 1 season, following a successful stint with the squad.

The driver from Japan has consistently outperformed Daniel Ricciardo, leading to Liam Lawson taking his place for the upcoming race at the Circuit of the Americas.

Despite being the second-best driver at Red Bull, after Max Verstappen in 2024, Tsunoda hasn't been considered as a replacement for Sergio Perez.

Initially, Ricciardo was considered the leading candidate to take over Perez's spot before the summer break. However, if Lawson impresses in his six-race stretch, the New Zealander might be favored over Tsunoda.

On the most recent episode of the Sky Sports F1 podcast, Davidson expressed his opinion that Tsunoda has fully matured as a driver and wondered why he hasn't yet been offered an opportunity to team up with Verstappen.

"Davidson mentioned they are in search of that special something. He suggested that there was a time Daniel might have provided it, potentially being well in front of Yuki. However, Davidson believes Yuki has significantly improved his performance since joining Formula 1."

It's a common occurrence for drivers to show up, push the vehicle too hard, end up in a collision, and spin out. One anticipates things to settle down after a bit, and they usually do, but then the drivers become sluggish due to losing their momentum. Yuki has navigated through this phase and has evolved beyond the driver some might remember him as.

"He's quite refined now, truly the complete package. Unfortunately, Yuki continues to be unfairly labeled with the same criticism. It seems it might no longer be simple for others to apply that critique to Tsunoda. What's his perspective on the matter? It appears he's consistently underestimated.

"Drivers like Lawson or Ricciardo return as seasoned veterans. Meanwhile, Nyck de Vries competes against them too – and consistently outruns them, time and time again. This pattern can't merely be by chance."

Davidson believes that if Tsunoda is given the chance, he possesses the mental toughness to compete against Verstappen.

"He also mentioned, "It seems Yuki is being neglected in this situation. Why isn't there any talk of giving Yuki the opportunity to take Perez's place?

"Could he outperform? He possesses a spirited driving style. It's hard to believe that Max could mentally break him down. He’s shown remarkable resilience. I believe that was the challenge Ricciardo faced, even though it wasn’t widely acknowledged."

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