Pierre Gasly has already been officially confirmed by the team for next season, but Yuki Tsunoda’s seat is not yet secured.
The French driver has posted better results to date, but the two have been much closer than last season. Gasly has been able to add 16 points in this 2022, while the Japanese has been able to score 11, only five less.
Red Bull has a number of young drivers in its academy who are showing off their speed and talent in Formula 2 this season, but none of them seem to be, at least for now, a clear and obvious threat to Tsunoda ‘s seat.
“If he continues as he has done this season, except for the accidents, I think he has a good chance of staying with us,” said Tost during the Austrian Grand Prix.
“It’s up to him. If he shows a good performance, he’ll stay, if he doesn’t show a good performance, he’s out. It’s very easy.”
Red Bull’s director of motorsports, Helmut Marko , recently referred to Tsunoda as the “problem child” of the structure, making particular reference to his manners.
However, Tost explained that he prefers a driver with a strong character.
“I like problem kids because they’re the ones who can really do something in this category,” Tost said. “I don’t like those who are saints.”
“Yuki makes a mistake; he knows it and works on it. He’s still developing. He’s fast. He was fast this weekend here too. But he does everything his way and that takes a little time.”
Following the Silverstone crash involving the two AlphaTauri drivers, Franz Tost explained that he became very angry with the young Japanese driver.
“Of course it was a nightmare for the team. Because the drivers were in positions seven and eight. And we knew that Silverstone was a difficult circuit for us, and therefore we were in very good positions.”
“And then Yuki got too impatient, tried to brake more than Pierre, lost the rear of his car and crashed into him.”
“Immediately after the race I called Yuki to come to my office and told him that this cannot be done and that he has to be more disciplined and patient.”
“This has not been the first accident between teammates and it will not be the last, hopefully with us, but we have seen this many times in the history of Formula 1. However, this must be avoided at all costs.”
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