The 21-year-old Japanese racer impressed with an aggressive drive to score points on his F1 debut൲ in Bahrain but has gone on to have several costly ♔incidents since, including crashing out of qualifying and spinning in the race at Imola.

Further crashes followed in France and Hungary, but Tsunoda recovered from his FP1 shun💜t at Budapest by recording his best result of the season with a strong drive to sixth pꦕlace in the race.

Tsunoda sai𝔍d at the Dutch Grand Prix that he he viewed his chances of remaining with AlphaTauri for next season at “fifty-fifty” but his stay alongs꧙ide Pierre Gasly was confirmed on Tuesday.

“To be honest when I got aske🔯d last week, I knew already a little bit,” Tsunoda said ahead of this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix. “I can’t﷽ say anything about next year’s contract but I’m really excited of course.

“The first half of the season was quite inconsistent, so also from my side, I was a bit surprised I’ll be stayin✅g for next year.

“First of all thanks to the team and I’m really excited again for this opportunity next year. Just foಌr this year I will learn as much as possible.”

Asked why he was surprised by his renewal, Tsunoda replied: “Because I just keepꦉ crashing and spend lots of money for the team.

“It’s not a good way to end the first half of the season, especially in Hungary I went onto the w🌊all in FP1 and ruined the whole session, almost ܫtwo sessions.

“I got asked by Franz [Tost, AlphaTauri team principal] and Helmut [Marko, Red Bull motorsport advisor] that I need a morℱe consistent result for driving and more discipline in the sessions.

“I couldn’t improve fully in the first half of the season. Also I was able to score points ♚but Hungary was a bit lucky.

“Soඣ it was mixed feelings, sometimes doing well and sometimes not. So𝓀 that’s why I would say it was surprising.”

Tsunoda, who has scored just 18 ൩points of AlphaTauri’s 84-point haul so far in 2021, said his target for the rest of the season and next year is to finish inside the top 10 on a more regular basis.

“My target is clear for next year but I’m focuꦺsed on this year,” he added. “Of course next year I have to be more consistent and have tꦏo perform well, scoring points.

“But we༒ can’t expect anything for ne🤪xt year, it’s a completely new car, anything can change. Just want to focus on the rest of the season and fight for the points in the championship.”