One of the stars vying for a coveted seat at Red Bull believes he deserves an opportunity to race for the defending Formula 1 constructors' champions.
It has been a challenging campaign for the Milton Keynes-based outfit this season, who have struggled to find the form that has made them the sport's dominant force in recent years.
Max Verstappen could clinch a fourth consecutive crown in Las Vegas this weekend, but the Dutchman has been put under considerable pressure by Lando Norris throughout 2024, with Verstappen's victory in Brazil last time out his first triumph in 10 outings.
Verstappen's team-mate Sergio Perez, meanwhile, has endured a dreadful campaign to date, and currently sits almost 250 points behind his colleague in the standings.
His sub-par performances have increased speculation that, despite signing a new deal with the team earlier this season, his seat is under considerable threat.
Red Bull boss Christian Horner has consistently backed the underperforming Mexican racer, but is fast running out of patience following a dismal run of results which has yielded just 48 points from his previous 15 grands prix, allowing both McLaren and Ferrari to surge ahead in recent months.
There has been much speculation over who would be ready to take over from the 34-year-old, with RB duo Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda firmly in the mix.
As reported by Motorsport.com, the Japanese driver said: "I always say that I definitely deserve that seat, I can't say more than that. It's up to them."
"There was a time that I started getting impatient, probably just before the summer break, but this thing, I can't control. It's just part of the life.
"I just have to keep doing what I'm doing. You know, in fact, I'm the one who's racing still now.
"Whenever they keep sending their driver to me to beat me, whatever, I just keep destroying them. So that's what I'm going to do."