Tsunoda firmly in the hunt for second 2021 AlphaTauri seat

AlphaTauri boss Franz Tost has confirmed Honda protégé Yuki Tsunoda is still in the frame for a race seat in 2021.

Tsunoda had a seat fitting at the AlphaTauri factory in Italy recently and will test for the team at Imola on November 4, three days after this weekend's Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, with further running planned ahead of a final decision on drivers.

It is now certain if Tsunoda is recruited he will replace Daniil Kvyat after AlphaTauri confirmed Pierre Gasly will again drive for the team next season.

With the 20-year-old Japanese currently third in the Formula 2 standings, and closing in on an F1 super licence, Tost said: “The driver line up is not decided yet for next year.

"We had Tsunoda in the factory to make his seat, because after the race in Imola we will do a 300-kilometre test

“Maybe, but this is not decided yet, he will do an FP1 once, and then he has two [F2] races in Bahrain and we will see where he is finishing the F2 championship, in regards to the super licence.

“Then he will do the Abu Dhabi young driver test, and then Red Bull will decide who will be the driver line-up for Scuderia AlphaTauri in 2021.”

Tsunoda was signed up to the Red Bull junior team and Honda’s Formula Dream Project to drive in the FIA F3 series in 2019. He stepped up to F2 this season and is currently trailing Mick Schumacher and Callum Ilott with wins at Silverstone and Spa.

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