Yuki Tsunoda believes he deserves the second seat at Red Bull more than Liam Lawson.

Though Sergio Perez further blotted his already soaking copybook in qualifying, Tsunoda fared little better causing the second red flag of the afternoon when he crashed out.

However, the Japanese driver, unlike the Mexican, is not on notice.

Despite soul searching head-to-heads in the Horner's kitchen, Perez is clearly on borrowed time, and it is widely thought that he will be dropped over the summer break. Indeed, there are unconfirmed claims that there is a clause in his contract that states that if more than 100 points adrift of his teammate after the Belgian Grand Prix he can be dropped - he is currently 137 points off.

Favourite for the Mexican's seat is Tsunoda, however the popular Japanese driver believes that he has earned the right to move up to the 'big team'.

Asked if he feels he is ready for such a move, Tsunoda was emphatic: "Yes!" he replied.

"If I'm not ready then I wouldn't have been able to announce the next season even at VCARB," he added. "I'm feeling ready compared to last three years to fight against the top teams, higher positions and even with Max.

"But in the end, they are the ones that are going to decide and it's one of the things I can't control."

Yesterday's crash aside, Tsunoda has performed well thus far this season, contributing 20 of the team's 31 points and out-qualifying teammate Daniel Ricciardo 9-4.

Though Lawson impressed when he stood in for the injured Ricciardo last season, scoring a ninth in only his third outing, Tsunoda feels it would be wrong to put the Kiwi into the hot seat alongside Verstappen.

"If they choose Liam, that would be weird," he said. "Liam did a really good job when he drove in the sim, but I think I did more than that.

"We'll see how it goes," he added. "In the end they know how to manage the drivers."

However, currently sixth in the team standings, RB bosses may feel that in the face of an increasing threat from Haas, it might be best to maintain consistency and continue with Tsunoda and Ricciardo.

The next two races will be crucial for our team who want to start the second half of the season at least leading the top midfield," he said. "Still we will for sure give 100 percent performance... that's my job. I will do as much as I can."

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