A former Formula 1 champion has backed Yuki Tsunoda to replace Sergio Pérez at Red Bull Racing, should he find himself let go after this season.
Pérez's future with Red Bull is uncertain at best, with more and more reports suggesting that the Milton Keynes-based team are set to cut ties with the 34-year-old after four seasons.
If Pérez is truly on the way out, it looks as if Red Bull will be looking internally for a replacement, with the team relying on their fairly strong youth system to fill the void.
One name that has begun to appear more consistently with Red Bull's potential second seat is Yuki Tsunoda, who currently races for sister team Visa Cash App RB (VCARB for short).
Tsunoda, 24, is a product of the Red Bull Junior Program and has been driving for the Faenza-based team since 2021, where he has partnered Pierre Gasly, Nyck De Vries, Daniel Ricciardo and, most recently, Liam Lawson.
He had built up a reputation as a 'hot head' on track, with regular outbursts on team radios and mistakes caused by his aggressive racing style.
More recently, though, Tsunoda has shown maturity in his development and has taken on the role as lead driver at VCARB well, outperforming all of his teammates since Gasly's departure to Alpine prior to the 2023 season.
His earlier seasons performances had often seen him disregarded for a potential promotion to Red Bull Racing, but with Pérez potentially out of a seat, he is the most experienced option should the team rely on drivers they already have under contract for next year.
And with his more recent performances and consistency, the team is still within touching distance of sixth place in the Constructors' Championship - where they currently sit eighth.
This has prompted suggestions that Tsunoda could have a genuine chance of impressing Red Bull, highlighted by the fact that he will get to race in the RB20 in the post-season testing in Abu Dhabi - his first opportunity to drive the main team's car in any capacity.
With that, Tsunoda has received outward support from a number of members of the media, including 2009 Formula 1 champion Jenson Button.
When asked about Tsunoda deserving an opportunity with Red Bull, Button commented: "I personally think yes."
"They keep throwing team-mates at him and he keeps kicking them away. He's a very different Yuki to last year. He's not as fiery as he was and he's getting the results.
He added: "I think he's the plug and play for that position. If it was me, I'm not sure I would want to step in the Red Bull alongside Max Verstappen, that's the toughest drive in the pit lane, but if he's up for it, great."
Another option for Red Bull is Liam Lawson, who was brought in part-way through this season to replace the veteran Ricciardo at VCARB, giving him an opportunity to impress the main team and secure a permanent seat on the grid for 2025.
However, Button is less convinced by the young New Zealander, who also made a brief appearance for AlphaTauri during the 2023 season.
When asked about Lawson being another potential option, Button said: "Lawson, for me, needs to improve still and needs to show he can put in a good result."
