Yuki Tsunoda will graduate to Formula One to complete his rookie season in 2021, the Japanese driver will replace Daniil Kvyat partnering Frenchman Pierre Gasly.
The 20-year-old is a part of both the Red Bull and Honda junior programme and finished third in his rookie Formula Two season with Carlin in 2020.
After Tsunoda secured a top-three finish in Formula Two, he was then eligible for a super licence opening his pathway to Formula One with Red Bull’s sister team AlphaTauri.
Tsunoda has tested in a 2018 spec Toro Rosso as well as this year in Imola when it started to look like the youngster could secure himself a super licence for the following season.
The Japanese driver claimed three wins during the F2 season with also several poles to his name, Tsunoda only finished a point off runner up Callum Illot come the end of the season.
He will be the first Japanese driver in Formula One since Kamui Kobayashi in 2014.
‘Like most racing drivers, it has always been my goal to race in Formula One, so I am very happy with this news,’ Tsunoda said.
‘I want to thank Scuderia AlphaTauri, Red Bull and Dr. Marko for giving me this opportunity, and of course everyone from Honda, for all their support so far in my career, giving me great opportunities to race in Europe.
‘I realise that I will be carrying the hopes of a lot of Japanese F1 fans next year and I will be doing my best for them too.’
AlphaTauri team principal Franz Tost spoke about the decision to replace Kvyat with Tusonda for 2021, saying: ‘Red Bull has been following Yuki’s career for a while now and I am sure he will be a great asset to our team.
‘Watching him in Formula 2 this year, he has demonstrated the right mix of racing aggression and good technical understanding. During the test in Imola in November when he drove our 2018 car, his lap times were very consistent over a race simulation, he progressed throughout the day and gave our engineers useful feedback.
‘In addition, his integration with the Honda engineers has been seamless, which certainly helps. At the test in Abu Dhabi this week, he proved to be a fast learner and that he is ready to make the step to Formula 1.’
Tusonda will replace experienced Russian Kvyat after he failed to match the performance of teammate Gasly throughout the 2020 season, Kvyat accepts that he will not have a drive next season but is determined to make a comeback in the sport.
‘I’ll try to come back, because I feel like in the right ambience with the right people around me in the right car, which I like,’ Kvyat said after the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
‘I can be extremely competitive, and I still feel like I have a lot to give. I am grateful of course for everything, for all these years.’
‘It was great, great stint, these last two years with the team. That is fantastic. They are amazing.’
By Cameron Anderson-Jones
