The Athletic.

The race is on, and the latest piece of the Formula One driver market puzzle has fallen into place with Alphateri confirming Yuki Sonoda will remain with the team in 2023.

But should Red Bull have looked elsewhere and who

will be his teammate given Pierre Ghazni's mooted Alpine move? I'm Ed Straw and joining me to answer

those questions and many more are Mark Hughes and Val Huringi. Well Mark, how are you doing?

Enjoying this slightly extended gap before Singapore? Yeah, it feels like luxury, doesn't it?

Having two weekends in between races,

but I think we're about to get, was it,

three in the next four, four, four in the next five,

four races in next five, so yeah,

it'll be back to normal soon enough.

Exactly, quick fire end to the season.

And Val, this is your first appearance on the F1 podcast for a good while, but I hope your F1 chat is on good form. No, I'm actually, you know, I'm doing MotoGP this weekend. I don't know nothing about four wheels. I don't know why you brought me in here. Well, we like to have diversity of opinion and perspective. So, yeah, We'll understand if you get a little bit confused about the number of wheels, but hopefully you should be on good form, and you are someone who keeps a good eye

on young drivers as well, so I would say you're very well qualified. As I said, Yuki Sonoda's

been confirmed at Alfitari. Not a great surprise, but another piece of the driver market

puzzle.

So, Mark, what's your assessment of Sonoda's season so far?

And do you think he's done enough to justify keeping this drive?

He's done just about enough to keep the drive.

It would have been surprised if they hadn't renewed him.

But I wouldn't say he's made it a no-brainer.

I think if there was somebody red hot that was absolutely irresistible that was in their reach, I think it would be looking a little bit iffy for him.

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