Red Bull F1 motorsport adviser Helmut Marko says Scuderia AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda must prove himself in 2023 if he is to secure a place in F1. 2023 will be 22-year-old Yuki Tsunoda’s third consecutive F1 season with Red Bull’s junior team.
Current AlphaTauri drivers have been told they are in danger of losing their place in F1. Asked if Yuki Tsunoda would need to prove himself this year, Red Bull F1 motorsport adviser Helmut Marko replied: “Yes, he has to prove himself.” “But that’s also true of Nick de Vries,” he said, referring to the 28-year-old Dutch rookie who finished 14th behind Yuki Tsunoda in Bahrain. With a lot of experience in other series and test drivers, this very important season for both to stay in F1,” insisted Marko. As for Red Bull’s other F1 drivers, Max Verstappen is on a long-term contract until 2028, and is clearly safe. The Red Bull team-mate signed Racing Sergio Perez also signed a new two-year contract last season. “Max is a competition nightmare. I’ve said it many times, “said Matthias Lauda, son of the late F1 legend Niki Lauda, to Servus TV. “I think Max and Perez are getting on very well, but ‘ if I were Perez, I would aim to be the best number two in the world,’ he said. “He has to accept that Max is better. No. He is like Rubens Barrichello and Michael Schumacher. He has to admit.” But in the eyes of many in Formula One, and perhaps Marko, Perez is a fact. Above, it already appears as a clear number 1. When asked what Perez could do to keep Red Bull happy, Helmut Marko said: “To get first and second place in the championship. That’s our target and our goal. We’re still on it. “The Czechs are mature, and I have to congratulate them for working by Max’s side for two years and not spoiling him. He thinks he knows where I am and what I need to do to be at my best.”
