Helmut Marko has stated that Aston Martin must be prepared to pay Red Bull compensation if they want to add Yuki Tsunoda to their ranks for 2024 and beyond. The 23-year-old signed a one-year extension with AlphaTauri ahead of his home race.
After enduring a difficult start to his F1 career in his rookie and sophomore seasons, Tsunoda has taken a step forward in 2023, establishing himself as a team leader with the Faenza-based outfit.
The 23-year-old’s impressive performances ultimately led to the dismissal of Nyck de Vries, who was fired by Marko just ten races into his AlphaTauri career after being put to shame by Tsunoda who, prior to Liam Lawson’s arrival, had claimed 100 per cent of the team’s points tally.
This form has naturally led to some interest from outside of the AlphaTauri set-up and with no seats available at the top table for 2024 and Daniel Ricciardo the favoured option for 2025, Tsunoda will need to assess his options away from the Red Bull ranks too.
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When asked by F1-Insider about the possibility of the Japanese driver joining Aston Martin next year, Marko responded: “Tsunoda is under contract with us. If Aston Martin were interested in him next year, they would have to come to an agreement with us first.”
The link between Tsunoda and Aston Martin was first drawn when it was announced that Honda would be powering the Silverstone-based outfit from 2026 onwards. The Japanese manufacturer played a pivotal role in bringing the 23-year-old into the sport and supporting him through the junior ranks.
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Speaking about the Japanese racer at the announcement of the Honda partnership, Aston Martin CEO Martin Whitmarsh explained: “He’s making a great impression this year. He’s very young still, but relatively experienced. But I think he’s made great progress. It’s tremendously exciting.
“I’m sure our driver line-up will evolve before 2026. Ultimately Honda and Aston Martin want to have the very best two drivers we can have in the cars. We are here to win, as are Honda, so in 2026 we have to start winning together. We have to have great drivers.
“He must be considered as a candidate. I’m sure he would love to drive a Honda-powered car. Let’s see how he makes progress in the next couple of years and hopefully, we can have some serious discussions together.”
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