What does the future hold for Yuki Tsunoda at Red Bull?

After Red Bull’s announcement, what is the next step for Yuki Tsunoda? Red Bull’s decision to promote Liam Lawson, Yuki Tsunoda’s teammate at Racing Bulls, to replace Sergio Perez in 2025 means that the Japanese driver will compete in a fifth season with their second team. He is expected to be accompanied by Red Bull junior and Formula 2 vice-champion Isack Hadjar.

This is the clearest sign yet that Red Bull doesn’t seriously consider Yuki Tsunoda as an option for the main team. They believe he is better placed to race in their sister team, where he serves as a benchmark to assess other young drivers.

Although this role suited the Japanese for several years, he now feels ready to take a step forward. « All I can control is my performance, as I am showing this year, » Yuki Tsunoda recently stated to Sky Sports. He notably outperformed Liam Lawson in qualifying for each of the six races the New Zealander competed in at the end of the 2024 season.

« I believe in myself, I show consistent results as much as possible, and I hope they will change their minds. I will do everything I can, and I know what I am capable of if I join Red Bull. »

Tsunoda not rewarded for his work

Despite positive feedback on his technical tests with the RB20 at the end of the season in Abu Dhabi, Yuki Tsunoda did not get his chance, with Liam Lawson being preferred for 2025.

He proved that he was quick over a lap, with better qualifying performances than Daniel Ricciardo and Liam Lawson. He has also gained consistency and worked on his temperament, reducing the emotional outbursts that were seen as his main weakness.

At 24 years old, and with nearly 100 Grand Prix starts under his belt, the Japanese driver faces a tough choice: stay with the Red Bull family and continue hoping to change their perception, or leave to start anew elsewhere.

What options?

Red Bull has exercised its option to retain Yuki Tsunoda, but the deal only covers the 2025 season, which will make him free for 2026. An intriguing option for the driver, if he decides to cut ties with Red Bull, could be Aston Martin.

Aston Martin will become the official Honda team in F1 in 2026, when the Japanese manufacturer takes over the supply of their engines, replacing Mercedes. As a Honda-supported driver, Yuki Tsunoda has already been linked to Aston Martin. But this scenario would depend on several factors beyond his control.

The first is Fernando Alonso’s decision on whether or not to extend his career beyond the 2026 season, the expiration date of his current contract. The double world champion, who will turn 45, has indicated that he considers 2026 as his last season in F1, but he does not rule out continuing if the team’s performance is competitive in the new era of regulations. The second factor is the position held by Lance Stroll, the son of Aston Martin’s billionaire owner, Lawrence Stroll. As long as Lance wishes to race, it is unlikely that his father will replace him.

If Aston Martin-Honda is an attractive option, there simply might not be any available spots. Other opportunities could arise with Audi, which will make its F1 debut in 2026, depending on the performance of Nico Hülkenberg and rookie Gabriel Bortoleto, or with Cadillac, which seems ready to become the 11th team in the world championship.

The project supported by General Motors could offer Yuki Tsunoda a chance to build a team around him, similar to what former Red Bull drivers like Alex Albon at Williams and Pierre Gasly at Alpine have accomplished.

The rejection by Red Bull might well lead Yuki Tsunoda to consider a change of environment.