Red Bull address chance of Yuki Tsunoda F1 return af…read more
Red Bull Racing have spoken out about the possibility of Yuki Tsunoda returning to the Formula 1 grid in the future, despite the Japanese driver missing out on a race seat for the 2026 season following a major driver reshuffle within the Red Bull programme.
Earlier this month, the Milton Keynes outfit confirmed that Isack Hadjar will partner Max Verstappen at Red Bull Racing from 2026. At the same time, Liam Lawson and highly rated youngster Arvid Lindblad were announced as the two drivers for Red Bull’s sister team, Racing Bulls. The decisions effectively closed the door on Tsunoda’s chances of securing a full-time race seat next season, leaving him on the sidelines.
However, Tsunoda has not been completely cut loose. Red Bull have retained him as a test and reserve driver, a role that could yet prove crucial given the unpredictable nature of Formula 1. Team principal Laurent Mekies has now publicly expressed confidence that Tsunoda’s F1 career may not be over.
Speaking to media, including RacingNews365, Mekies admitted that dropping Tsunoda was one of the toughest calls the team had to make. He stressed that the second seat at Red Bull Racing has historically been one of the most demanding positions on the grid.
“It has been a very difficult decision,” Mekies explained. “The second seat at Red Bull is not an easy one. We have a very challenging car to drive, and we genuinely tried everything we could to support Yuki. But at some point, we had to be honest with ourselves about where things were heading in the long term.”
Tsunoda’s 2025 campaign proved inconsistent, particularly after his mid-season promotion to the senior Red Bull team just two races into the year. He was brought in to replace Lawson, who had struggled early on, but Tsunoda was unable to fully capitalise on the opportunity and found it difficult to extract consistent performance from the RB car.
Despite those struggles, Mekies was keen to highlight how quickly fortunes can change in Formula 1 — using Tsunoda’s own recent experience as an example. He pointed out that the Japanese driver has already lived through dramatic career swings within a very short period.
“I hope, and I believe, that Yuki will get another chance,” Mekies said. “He will be our reserve driver next year, and in this sport, you never know what is going to happen. We’ve shown many times in the past that driver situations can change very quickly.”
Mekies recalled how, at the end of the 2024 season, Tsunoda had been performing strongly but still found himself overlooked when Lawson was promoted ahead of him. At that stage, Tsunoda went into the off-season unsure if he would ever get the opportunity he felt he deserved.
“He came back with the mindset of maximising absolutely everything,” Mekies explained. “The objective was to aim as high as possible, to push to the limit. And just three races into the season, he was suddenly driving for Red Bull Racing. That shows how unpredictable this sport can be.”
The Red Bull boss believes that perspective should give Tsunoda hope as he processes the disappointment of losing his seat. Mekies acknowledged that the setback would be difficult to accept but insisted it does not define the driver’s future.
“This is a hard setback, there’s no doubt about that,” he said. “But setbacks are something everyone experiences, in racing and beyond. What matters is how you respond. Yuki has talent, speed, and experience, and I’m confident there’s still a lot more in him.”
With Red Bull entering a new era ahead of the 2026 regulation changes, Tsunoda’s role as a reserve driver could yet become significant. Injuries, form slumps, or unexpected driver changes have often reshaped F1 grids at short notice, and Red Bull’s history suggests they are never afraid to act decisively.
For now, Tsunoda faces an uncertain period away from the race grid. But if Mekies’ words are anything to go by, the door to Formula 1 has not fully closed — and in Red Bull’s fast-moving world, a return may come sooner than expected.
