Yuki Tsunoda admits Red Bull NOT happy with his performance.
Red Bull star Yuki Tsunoda has revealed that his performances with the F1 team so far this year have not done enough to impress.
The Japanese racer was promoted to Red Bull’s main F1 team after just two races in 2025, when Christian Horner and Helmut Marko decided Liam Lawson was not up to the role of Max Verstappen’s team-mate.Lawson had been bumped up from the junior team at the end of 2024 when Sergio Perez was dropped, but was quickly demoted back to Racing Bulls where he remains now.
Red Bull’s constant carousel of drivers trying their hand at the infamously tricky second seat has failed to help the team’s championship chances this season.
The Milton Keynes-based squad currently sit down in fourth in the constructors’ standings on 172 points, 165 of which have been earned by Verstappen.
As the reigning champion’s team-mate, Tsunoda has endured 10 tough races and at last weekend’s British GP, crossed the line last out of the drivers who remained in the race, having done the same in Austria the week before.
Just one week on from that race in Silverstone and Red Bull has undergone a major change.Team principal Christian Horner was sacked from his role with immediate effect, and although the team’s future beyond this season remains rocky, it isn’t likely to change Tsunoda’s chances of finishing the year alongside Verstappen.Speaking to media ahead of the British GP, Tsunoda confirmed that Marko and Red Bull had been supportive, despite his disappointing season so far.
Yes [Marko has been supportive] rather than him saying probably going [to] switch in two races or whatever, for sure. But like I said, him and Christian are very supportive,” Tsunoda said.”He was not obviously happy with my race in Austria, but at the same time, he’s still willing to continuously help or support me.”He still trusts my talent and the speed, so I just have to prove on track that I can do it. Helmut is just a direct guy. Some races if you do bad, he just tells me what was wrong and what was right.
“It’s a kind of pressure that he gives me. Sometimes brings me into the level that I never think about or extracts from me some performance. It’s just the way that he works since when I was a junior, and yeah, I appreciate the amount of support I’m getting so far,” he concluded.
Though Horner may have been dismissed by Red Bull, his replacement Laurent Mekies could be just what Tsunoda needs to turn his luck around.The Frenchman was Tsunoda’s boss when the 25-year-old enjoyed relative success at Racing Bulls but now that both have been promoted, it could prove an ideal linkup once again when paired with Marko’s management style.
Yuki Tsunoda has acknowledged that his current form in Formula 1 has not lived up to Red Bull Racing’s expectations, admitting that the team is dissatisfied with his performance so far in the 2025 season.
The Japanese driver was promoted to Red Bull’s main team earlier this year, just two races into the season, following the team’s swift decision to drop Liam Lawson. Lawson had initially been brought in to replace Sergio Perez at the end of 2024, but his brief stint alongside Max Verstappen ended abruptly after failing to meet performance demands. Tsunoda, who had previously been with Red Bull’s sister team (now Racing Bulls), was handed the opportunity to fill the highly scrutinized second seat.
However, Tsunoda’s transition has not gone as hoped. The 25-year-old has endured a difficult run, managing only marginal results while his teammate Verstappen continues to carry the team’s championship hopes. Red Bull currently ranks fourth in the constructors’ standings with 172 points—165 of those coming from Verstappen alone—highlighting the disparity in performance between the two drivers.
Tsunoda’s struggles were further exposed in recent races, finishing last among the classified drivers at both the Austrian and British Grands Prix. Despite his underwhelming results, Tsunoda insists that Red Bull leadership, particularly Helmut Marko and former team principal Christian Horner, have remained supportive.
“Helmut has been supportive, definitely not threatening to replace me after two races or anything like that,” Tsunoda said during a media session ahead of the British Grand Prix. “He wasn’t happy with Austria, that’s for sure, but he still believes in my potential and keeps encouraging me.”
He added, “Helmut has always been direct—he tells me straight what’s good and what’s bad. That kind of pressure actually helps me sometimes. It pushes me to reach a level I didn’t know I could achieve. He’s done that since my junior days, and I’m thankful for the support I’m getting.”
The situation at Red Bull has been further complicated by internal restructuring. Just a week after the British Grand Prix, the team announced that Christian Horner had been dismissed from his long-held position as team principal. While the shake-up has introduced uncertainty into the team’s future, it appears unlikely to immediately affect Tsunoda’s place in the squad.
Stepping into Horner’s role is Laurent Mekies, who previously worked with Tsunoda during their time together at Racing Bulls. The new appointment may offer a fresh opportunity for Tsunoda to regroup and regain momentum. Given their established rapport, Mekies could be a crucial factor in reviving the Japanese driver’s confidence and performance.
For now, Tsunoda remains focused on proving that he belongs at the front of the grid. With Red Bull’s patience wearing thin and the pressure of Verstappen’s dominance beside him, the second half of the season could prove pivotal in determining his future with the team.
