Yuki Tsunoda's tenure at Red Bull Racing could be the perfect opportunity for Red Bull Racing to put Arvid Lindblad in the car, thinks former F1 driver, Juan Pablo Montoya. There's a caveat, though, that could make the situation backfire on the Austrian team, and the Japanese driver holds the key.
Tsunoda failure could open the way for Lindblad
Tsunoda taking over from Liam Lawson, works out perfectly for Red Bull, even if the Japanese driver should fail, thinks Montoya.
"For them, Yuki is the perfect person. Because to a certain extent, if he fails, it's the perfect opportunity to put someone else, to put Lindblad in, who's coming up behind them."
The British-Sweedish driver is the junior talent, Red Bull's chief advisor, Helmut Marko, has very high hopes for.
Tsunoda can force Red Bull's hand
However, amidst the uncertainty that surrounds the Honda protegé's future within the Austrian team's structure with the Japanese manufacturer's departure to Aston Martin next year, the Colombian sees there may be a play for him yet, whereas at the end of last year and earlier this year it looked like, after 2025, his time in F1 would be coming to an end.
"Yuki is with Honda and Honda leaves, and then what's going to happen? Yuki has a great opportunity that if he does well, [that] solidifies his position in Formula 1.
"Where he can do a good job and grow with Red Bull, [the team] is really forced to sign him for the future. Which is good for him.
"Because of the people you looked at this year on the grid and said, oh, I don't think he'll be there next year. One was Yuki," Montoya concluded.
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