Heading into this season, the expectation was that a strong campaign for Ricciardo would make him the favourite to replace out-of-contract Sergio Perez alongside Max Verstappen at Red Bull in 2025.
However, the Australian has been outqualified on all three occasions so far in 2024 by RB team-mate Tsunoda - who also pipped him in the one-lap head-to-head in three of the final five races of last term.
Tsunoda - who impressed in Melbourne by qualifying eighth as Ricciardo mustered only 18th - has, though, rarely been considered as a strong contender to replace Perez at Red Bull next season.
Asked by Autosport whether his competitive start to 2024 could help him actually seal a Red Bull seat or would instead do more to scupper Ricciardo’s chances of promotion, Tsunoda said that he was trying to increase his value to the whole grid ahead of his contract expiring at the end of the year.
“Hopefully they will consider it,” Tsunoda said of his Red Bull prospects. “At the same time, I do want as much as I can to show the performance even to the other teams.
“I just want to increase my value as a driver [and show] that I can fight pretty strong.
“I don't know what's going on with Red Bull, but hopefully they will strongly consider [me] as well.”
Source: Autosport