Dr Helmut Marko is now openly admitting that Yuki Tsunoda is "a candidate" to replace Sergio Perez at Red Bull Racing from 2025.
The Japanese driver, who until now has not been seriously considered as a candidate for a promotion to the energy drink company’s main team, has not only become strong and consistent at the RB team - he has gained control of his "emotions".
"He was losing speed with that," Marko, Red Bull’s top F1 advisor, told ORF Tirol. "But that’s in the past now."
Marko told the same Austrian broadcaster that Liam Lawson has been promoted to the RB race seat so that he can be assessed head-to-head with Tsunoda.
The 81-year-old Austrian is now telling f1-insider.com: "Tsunoda is a candidate to drive alongside Max in 2025.
"The remaining races of this season will decide what our driver pairings will look like for next year. I can very well imagine that a junior driver will drive alongside Max."
Marko continued: "We decided to compare Lawson and Tsunoda. They have the same equipment, the same conditions, and each now has six races to prove that he is the better one."
New Zealander Lawson, 22, drove Red Bull’s current car at Mugello this week as Pirelli tests its prototype compounds for 2025.
Meanwhile, Marko suggested that Mick Schumacher really has become a serious contender to beat Valtteri Bottas to the final seat at Audi-owned Sauber for 2025.
"We (Red Bull) started with the philosophy of giving young drivers a chance in Formula 1," he said. "Sebastian Vettel, Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo are just three examples. The others are now following this philosophy.
"Mercedes is giving Kimi Antonelli a chance, Haas has Oliver Bearman, Williams has Franco Colapinto, and it seems that - fortunately - Audi is now seriously considering the young Mick Schumacher."