{"id":24313,"date":"2024-09-09T04:42:51","date_gmt":"2024-09-09T08:42:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/?p=24313"},"modified":"2024-09-09T04:59:47","modified_gmt":"2024-09-09T08:59:47","slug":"yuki-tsunoda-rivals-teams-have-reached-out-to-me-in-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/2024\/09\/09\/yuki-tsunoda-rivals-teams-have-reached-out-to-me-in-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"Yuki Tsunoda: Rivals have reached out to me in 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"

For the first time in months, Red Bull’s on-track performance<\/a> is attracting more attention than their driver situation. With the RB20 losing ground, suggestions of Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo<\/a> potentially replacing Perez have quietened. Still, as Tsunoda explains, there has been a huge spike in interest for his services across the paddock.<\/p>\n

Several teams were interested in Yuki Tsunoda before he extended his VCARB contract<\/h2>\n

As recently as eighteen months ago, Tsunoda’s abilities were generally overlooked. Despite performing at a similar level to Pierre Gasly in 2022, the consensus heading into 2023 was that Nyck De Vries would outperform Tsunoda.<\/p>\n

However, it did not take long for Tsunoda to completely change the narrative. Over the last few seasons, the 24-year-old has consistently performed at a high level – scoring the majority of VCARB’s points.<\/p>\n

In line with his improved results, teams have gauged Tsunoda’s interest<\/a> in joining them and leaving the Red Bull set-up.<\/p>\n

Helmut Marko and VCARB team principal Laurent Mekies have both admitted that keeping him in the team will be increasingly difficult in 2025.<\/p>\n

Audi were reportedly interested in signing him earlier in the year, although he opted against joining the Swiss team.<\/p>\n

Other midfield teams are understood to have shown interest, although Tsunoda’s priority – to explore his chances of a Red Bull seat – has remained.<\/p>\n

Tsunoda received several offers from across the paddock<\/h4>\n

Yuki Tsunoda admits that 2024 is the first time he’s been approached by rivals in the paddock:<\/p>\n

“I started to probably show my value this year, from the beginning of the season.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

“Before I signed my contract with VCARB, fortunately, a couple of teams reached [out] to me…<\/em><\/p>\n

Embed from Getty Images<\/a>