Honda aims to continue supporting Hiroki Tsunoda even after he switches engine supply from the Red Bull team to Aston Martin.
Honda will part ways with Red Bull and the RB team after 2025, but they hope to continue to keep an eye on Hiroki Tsunoda when their supply contract with Aston Martin changes.
Hiroki Tsunoda hopes to be promoted to RBR Honda
Tsunoda still has remaining contract with the Red Bull junior team, which expires at the end of this season. The young Japanese driver had a chance of earning a seat at Aston Martin next season ahead of the team's switch to Honda Power, but that door has now been closed after the team re-signed Fernando Alonso. Looks like it's closed.
Tsunoda was fortunate to be able to occupy the second RB spot this season, with Liam Lawson said to be a threat in the cockpit alongside the returning Daniel Ricciardo, with Tsunoda retaining his seat. This reportedly required Honda's intervention.
Honda CEO Koji Watanabe has confirmed that Tsunoda, a product of the Honda Formula Dream Project, will join Red Bull in 2025 after making a reasonable impression in the first few races of this season, where Tsunoda usually had the upper hand over Ricciardo. I hope that I can secure a seat.
“I think it's a very good story that Tsunoda first played an active role as a RB and then was promoted to Red Bull,” Watanabe told Motorsport.com.
“I want to watch him rise to the top team even after leaving the club.
“Kakuda is a graduate of Honda Racing School and it is our dream for an HRC student to become a top driver. Therefore, it is very important for Yuki to become a top driver in F1.”
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If Tsunoda stays in F1 and stays under the Red Bull umbrella, the fact that Tsunoda runs for a rival engine manufacturer for Red Bull Powertrain would not necessarily be an issue for Honda to continue as Tsunoda's sponsor. .
“It's not necessarily difficult,” Watanabe says.
“We have to look at the situation and make a decision. But we can support Yuki to become a top driver.”
Aston Martin's door appears to be closed, but given that team owner Lawrence Stroll is unlikely to remove his son Lance from the seat next to Alonso, Tsunoda cannot rule out the possibility. Watanabe said.
“It remains to be seen what Aston Martin's lineup will look like,” he said.
“Alonso has been confirmed, but I haven't heard that Stroll has been confirmed.
“I don't think the possibility of that happening is zero, so I think it's possible at this stage.”
However, it is still unlikely that Honda will be able to secure Mr Tsunoda's seat, and there are no plans to increase the supply of engines to customers other than Aston Martin.
“There may be other possibilities in the future,” he said.
“However, we have no other plans at this time. At this time, we are not yet at the stage to expand our customer team,” Watanabe explains.
Tsunoda is a candidate for the Red Bull seat alongside Max Verstappen, but although this is currently unconfirmed, the Japanese driver said he would strive to be strongly considered.
“I hope they will consider it,” Tsunoda said.
“At the same time, I want to do my best to show my performance to other teams.
“I want to increase my value as a driver and be able to compete quite strongly.
“Obviously we don't know what's going on with Red Bull, but I hope they'll give it strong consideration as well.”
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