Red Bull Accused of Shielding Yuki Tsunoda’s Real Performance Amid Growing Criticism
Formula 1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve has stirred controversy after accusing Red Bull of exaggerating Yuki Tsunoda’s performance at the Mexican Grand Prix, suggesting that the team may be deliberately protecting the underperforming Japanese driver.
Tsunoda, who is currently under immense pressure to secure his future in Formula 1, has just four races left this season to prove he deserves to remain part of Red Bull’s driver program. Despite showing flashes of improvement in recent races, his results have still fallen well short of expectations—particularly when compared to dominant teammate Max Verstappen.
At the Mexican Grand Prix, Tsunoda finished just outside the points in 11th place, a result that would typically disappoint a driver hoping to solidify his seat. However, Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies appeared unusually optimistic about Tsunoda’s showing, insisting that it was “one of his best weekends in a long time.”
“I think Yuki had his best weekend in quite a while,” Mekies told reporters following the race. “We’ve said that a few times recently, but this one was genuinely impressive. He was just two-tenths of a second behind Max [Verstappen] in Q2, and his first stint on the medium tyres was also very strong—within two or three-tenths of Max’s pace.”
Mekies went on to explain that strategy decisions may have cost Tsunoda a better result. “We left him out a bit longer than we should have because it suited our overall strategy, and the pit stop took slightly longer than expected. Those factors probably cost him a few valuable points that he deserved on merit,” he admitted.
According to Mekies, Red Bull is still assessing all of its driver options for next season and has no reason to rush the decision. “Yuki is making progress, and so are the other young drivers in our programme,” he added. “We’ll take more time to evaluate everything before making a final call.”
However, Villeneuve—a long-time critic of Tsunoda—was far from convinced by Red Bull’s assessment. Speaking on Sky Sports’ F1 Show podcast, the 1997 world champion questioned why the team was praising a driver who continues to underperform relative to his peers.
“I really don’t understand how a team can look at that weekend and say, ‘He had a good race,’” Villeneuve said bluntly. “Sure, maybe it was better than some of his other weekends, but that doesn’t make it a good one. He’s still way off his teammate in pace and isn’t delivering the kind of results that help the team in the championship.”
Villeneuve also argued that Tsunoda’s experience level means Red Bull can no longer treat him as a developing rookie. “He’s been in F1 for a few years now. We’ve seen what he can do, and I think we’ve seen his peak,” Villeneuve continued. “He’s not improving in any significant way. To me, it looks like he’s already on the decline, and yet the team seems to be protecting him for reasons that don’t make much sense.”
The outspoken Canadian didn’t hold back in his criticism, suggesting that Mekies’ positive comments might be an attempt to cover up deeper issues within Red Bull’s junior program. “You can’t keep saying every race was a ‘good weekend’ when the results clearly show otherwise. At best, it was his least bad weekend, but that’s not the same as a good one,” Villeneuve concluded.
Tsunoda’s future remains uncertain, particularly with several promising young talents vying for his seat. Among the most notable challengers is Isack Hadjar, who has been gaining attention within Red Bull’s driver academy. Hadjar currently sits 10th in the standings with 39 points, compared to Tsunoda’s 17th-place ranking with 28 points.
While those numbers may not tell the entire story—given the performance differences between teams—many believe Hadjar’s growing reputation and consistency could make him a serious threat to Tsunoda’s seat for 2026.
For Tsunoda, the next few races in Brazil, Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi will be crucial. Red Bull is known for its ruthless approach to driver selection, and if he fails to deliver a noticeable uptick in form, the Japanese star could find himself without a Formula 1 seat next year.
His supporters argue that Tsunoda has matured significantly since his early years, when he was often criticized for emotional outbursts and inconsistency. Yet, despite flashes of brilliance—such as strong qualifying sessions or early stints in races—his inability to convert those moments into solid points finishes continues to fuel doubts about his long-term potential.
With Red Bull under increasing scrutiny for how it manages its second drivers, Villeneuve’s remarks have only added to the debate over whether Tsunoda’s place is being unfairly protected. Whether he can silence those critics in the final stretch of the season remains to be seen—but time is running out fast for the Japanese driver to prove he belongs among the elite.
