Yuki Tsunoda’s desire for AlphaTauri’s F1 name change to Toro Rosso refuted by Franz Tost

Ahead of the Austrian GP, AlphaTauri driver Yuki Tsunoda had several suggestions for the team's rebranding efforts for the following year. Red Bull's head honcho, Helmut Marko, announced the arrival of new sponsors and a new name this week.

Speaking to the media on Thursday, Tsunoda made a cheeky suggestion to rebrand the team as 'Team Yuki' for 2024. He also added that it would be cool if AlphaTauri rolled back the years and went back to being called Toro Rosso.

However, Team Principal Franz Tost dismissed the speculations about the team going back to its previous name. Tost added that the team is looking for a title deal, which will bring more money to the table.

"I don’t think so. I think there’s another possibility to get more money out of it," the 67-year-old said.

A title deal is a lucrative way of bringing in investment from sponsors who are looking for exposure. One such example on the current grid is the Sauber F1 team's title deal with Italian manufacturer Alfa Romeo.

Red Bull bought the Faenza-based Minardi F1 team in 2006, renaming it Scuderia Toro Rosso. In 2020, the team was renamed AlphaTauri as the parent company looked to increase the exposure of its fashion brand around the world.

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Yuki Tsunoda looking forward to AlphaTauri's closer links with Red Bull from 2024

Yuki Tsunoda in the Red Bull Ring

The AlphaTauri F1 team will undergo a major overhaul of its infrastructure as it moves closer to its sister team, Red Bull. The continued lack of performance over the past two seasons has made the management decide to bring their two teams closer to each other.

Helmut Marko revealed that the junior team will have closer links to Red Bull, as far as the regulations allow. The team will be moving a majority of its operations from Faenza to Red Bull's base in Milton Keynes, UK.

The leadership roles at AlphaTauri will also undergo a change of hands, with Ferrari F1 senior figure Laurent Mekies as Team Principal and FIA general secretary Peter Bayer taking on the role of chief executive.

Yuki Tsunoda welcomed these changes, adding that they should have happened three years ago, before the team's downfall.

"I think especially as a performance side that we saw the last two years was not really in the place that we wanted, especially last year," he said.

"I think it's a good thing anyway having a lot more connection between Red Bull and AlphaTauri, probably it should be like that from three years ago. I'm feeling optimistic, I think stronger connection with Red Bull should be better overall," he added.

Currently, AlphaTauri is last in the constructors' standings, with Yuki Tsunoda scoring two points for the team as he occupies 17th position in the drivers' standings.