Pierre Gasly sets main task for Yuki Tsunoda to salvage Red Bull career
Yuki Tsunoda and Pierre Gasly are known to have a close relationship away from the circuit.
Pierre Gasly has offered his advice to Yuki Tsunoda, with the Red Bull driver’s future uncertain beyond the end of the season.
Gasly was the first of Max Verstappen’s teammates to be switched back to the sister team mid-season, with Alex Albon moving up in 2019, so he has firsthand experience of how Red Bull operates.
Pierre Gasly: Yuki Tsunoda has to ‘cut the noise’ with Red Bull seat uncertain
Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies praised Tsunoda’s performance at the recent Azerbaijan Grand Prix, with a sixth-place finish being his best at Red Bull to date – though he finished one place behind the Racing Bulls machine of the driver he replaced at the ‘senior’ team, Liam Lawson.
Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar has been linked with a step up to Red Bull in 2026, with Tsunoda’s Formula 1 future not yet decided beyond the end of the year.
Gasly was asked about his own perspective and the advice he would hand to his friend and former teammate, with the Frenchman having now secured his own future at Alpine until 2028.
More on the potential F1 2026 grid
? F1 2026 driver line-ups: Which drivers are already confirmed for 2026?
? F1 driver contracts: What is the contract status of every driver on the 2025 grid?
With Red Bull due to take its time over a decision on its 2026 line-ups, Gasly explained the conversations he has had with Tsunoda and how he has sought to help.
“I think every single situation is quite specific, and we all manage it or process it in different ways,” Gasly said.
“So I think it kind of depends how you ask as an individual, as an athlete, what might work for you, what may not work for you, and the sort of support and environment you need around you.
“I mean, this is stuff that I talk with Yuki, obviously, very openly. We have a good relationship, and I think, ultimately, he needs to work out what’s the best way of focusing on the performance because, at the end of the day, the only thing that matters when you’re in a competitive sport is the performance you put out there.
“[You’ve] got to figure out the limitations you’re facing, what’s your best chances of displaying your skills in the best possible way. So I think that’s the main thing, cutting the noise.
“Obviously, there are always going to be a lot of talks, a lot of noise around. You need to find a way that it just doesn’t get to your head.
“I think, at the end of the day, you’ve just got to wake up every day thinking: ‘How am I going to get better at what I’m doing?’
“Whether you go through better times or challenging times, that’s the only question that will push you forward, and hopefully that’s what he manages to to do until the end of the year.”
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