Tsunoda confirms Horner's Red Bull promise: 'If I'm able to'

16:00, 02 Apr

byEwan Gale

Yuki Tsunoda has insisted he has been told by Red Bull team principal Christian Horner that he will be allowed to finish ahead of Max Verstappen if his performances allow.

The Japanese driver will make his Red Bull debut at Suzuka this weekend in front of his home crowd after replacing Liam Lawson following two races.

It is the moment the 24-year-old driver will have dreamed of for years, and he will be greatly looking forward to it.

"In the end Red Bull Racing are focused on Max scoring a drivers' championship," Tsunoda told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"He has proven himself to have good potential to be a world champion - even though Red Bull seems to be struggling a little now.

"Performance-wise [Horner] wants me to be as close to Max as possible."

Team Orders for Tsunoda?

Verstappen has been the main man at Red Bull in recent years given his world championship winning performances and the struggles teammates have gone through.

But that's not to say Tsunoda won't be given a fair shot at taking race victories, should his performances dictate.

"In some races I can help with the strategy," added Tsunoda.

"But he also promised me in some situations that if I'm able to be in front of Max that he wouldn't necessarily ask me to swap positions and make Max win."