Visa Cash App RB (VCARB or RB) has officially confirmed the extension of Yuki Tsunoda’s contract through the 2025 season. Tsunoda, a 24-year-old Japanese driver, has showcased remarkable progression from an aspiring rookie to a formidable force on the track, spending all four of his F1 seasons within the Red Bull family.
Since his debut where he secured an impressive fourth place at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Tsunoda has evolved into a regular contender in the top ten. His performance this season further underscores his growth; scoring points in five of the eight Grands Prix so far, including a notable showing at the Miami Sprint.
Reflecting on his continued partnership with VCARB, Tsunoda expressed both gratitude and enthusiasm in the press release from the team:
“I’m very happy to be staying with Visa Cash App RB and it’s a good feeling to have my future decided so early in the year. For that, I want to thank everyone at Red Bull and Honda who have played such an important role in my career and will continue to do so.
“The team has a big development project ahead and I’m excited to be part of it. It’s great to know that everyone appreciates all the hard work I have put in and that the team believes I can help it move further up the grid. We have already made clear progress this season and that really motivates me to always give of my best and that’s what I’ll continue to do with VCARB.
“For the moment, I’m concentrating on the remaining races this season, with the aim of bringing home as many points as possible, always growing with the team, laying the groundwork to do even better next year!”
Laurent Mekies, Team Principal at VCARB, lauded Tsunoda’s impressive ascent in the sport:
“I watched Yuki’s progress in Formula 1 with interest even before I returned to Faenza and it’s been impressive, year after year. The step up he has made this year is simply phenomenal, and he keeps surprising us all, race after race. There’s no doubting his natural speed to which he has now added a much more mature approach and this combination makes him a very quick and consistent performer, and a great team player.
“We continue to get a better understanding of what he needs from us and vice versa, so we are progressing together, Yuki as a driver and the team, as Visa Cash App RB. We share the same ambitions, so there are several good reasons to continue our journey together. He still has a lot to give!”Peter Bayer, CEO of VCARB, emphasized the strategic foundation behind Tsunoda’s success, connecting it to his early involvement with the Red Bull and Honda Junior Driver programmes.
VCARB CEO Peter Bayer explained:
“Yuki is a graduate of both the Red Bull and Honda Junior Driver programmes and it’s thanks to a good job from all parties that he’s been able to reach his current level of performance. As the saying goes, ‘never change a winning team’, so we are delighted to confirm Yuki as part of our future. He is a valuable asset on and off the race track, as his engaging nature has made him very popular with fans around the world. We are excited that he is staying with us.”
This comes after Tsunoda’s comments ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix weekend when he called for more commitment with the team, he claimed:
“I would like to see more commitment from the contract. Obviously I’m already committed with Red Bull a lot and hopefully I can have a bit more commitment from them.
“There’s an ongoing discussion and I want to make sure first of all we’re on the same page with Red Bull after that we’ll see. But I’m happy with RB.”
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The post F1 News: RB Makes Pivotal Announcement On Yuki Tsunoda’s Future After Driver Called For More Commitment appeared first on Newsweek.
