Yuki Tsunoda will graduate to Formula 1 to contest his rookie season in the championship next year, partnering Pierre Gasly at AlphaTauri🐭 in 2021.

The 20-year-o♛ld Japanese racer is a member of both the Honda and Red Bull junior dr𓄧iver programmes and finished third in the 2020 FIA Formula 2 championship following an impressive first season in the series.

Tsunoda secured the required points to earn an FIA superlicence in his rookie F2 season, paving the wa𓆏y for his promotion to 𒁏make his F1 debut with Red Bull’s sister team AlphaTauri, where he will replace Daniil Kvyat.

H𝐆e will be the first Japanese driver in F1 since Kamui Kobayashi raced for Caterham in 2014. 

“Like most racing drivers, it has always been my goal to💙 race in Formula 1, so I am very happy with this news," Ts﷽unoda said.

"I want to thank Scuderia AlphaTauri, Red Bull an💮d Dr. Marko for giving me this opportunity, and of course everyone from Honda, for all their support so far in my career, giving me great opportunities to race in Europe. I must also thank the teams that I have raced with to get to this point, particularly Ca𝓰rlin, with whom I have learned so much this year.

"I realise that I will be carrying the hopꦰes of a lot of Japanese F1 fans next year and I will be 🔯doing my best for them too.”

Three victories across a stunning maiden F2 season with Carlin vaulted Tsunoda up to third in the championship as he ended the year just one point behind runner🅰-up Callum Ilott.

Tsunoda, who has already carried outꦉ🐟 a test in a 2018-spec F1 car at Imola last month, also took part in the in the young drivers test for the Faenza outfit in Abu Dhabi. 

“Red Bull has been following ܫYuki’s career for a while now and I am sure he will be a greaꦆt asset to our team," said AlphaTauri team principal Franz Tost.

"Watching him in Formula 2 this year, he has demonstrated the right mix of racing aggression and good technical understanding. During the test in Imola in November when he drove our 2018 car, his lap times were very consistent over a race simulation, he progressed thro🍃ughout the day and gave our engineers useful feedback.

"In addition, his integration with the Honda engineers has been seamless, which certainly helps. At the test in Abu Dhabi this week, he proved to be a fa൲st learner and that he is ready to make the step to Formula 1.”

The decision to promote Tsunoda leaves Kvyat without a drive on the grid for the 20🅘21 F1 season, though the🐟 Russian is hoping to return with another team in the future.

"I'll try to come back, because I feel like in the right ambience with the right people around me in the right car, which I like," Kvyat said after the season-endingꩵ Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. 

"I can be extremely competitive, and I still f🎀eel like I have a lot to give. I am grateful of course for everyt♚hing, for all these years.

"It was great, great stint, these last two years with the team. 🍒That is fantastic. They are amazing."