Yuki Tsunoda is fighting to secure his place within the Red Bull driver lineup, with his prospects now dependent on performance at upcoming events, according to Sky Sports F1 pitlane reporter Ted Kravitz. The Japanese driver faces pressure as Isack Hadjar emerges as the likely candidate to join Max Verstappen at Red Bull for the 2026 Formula 1 season.
Hadjar has impressed in his rookie year, achieving a maiden podium and consistently outperforming both Tsunoda and the Racing Bulls teammate Liam Lawson. Despite a promising weekend at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix where Tsunoda qualified and finished sixth—his best result with Red Bull—his continuation at the senior team appears uncertain.
Assessing Tsunoda’s Position Within Red Bull’s Driver Program
Kravitz emphasized that Tsunoda’s future at Red Bull depends heavily on his ongoing ability to deliver competitive performances. While the seat next to Verstappen seems earmarked for Hadjar, Tsunoda is essentially striving to maintain his involvement inside the Red Bull driver program.
“We think that the die is already cast in terms of Isack Hadjar being Max Verstappen’s teammate next year. What is good is that Yuki is effectively driving to keep himself within the Red Bull driver programme at all,”
Kravitz explained on The F1 Show podcast.
Laurent Mekies has indicated there is still time to evaluate whether Tsunoda can consistently score points, or whether Red Bull should consider moving him on in favor of bringing in another prospect like Arvid Lindblad. Key to this assessment will be Tsunoda’s ability to manage tyre performance over long runs, an area where he has struggled previously.
Recent testing in Baku showed promise, with Tsunoda adapting successfully to a new car setup and learning what he needed to improve on sustained runs. However, Singapore—with its higher tyre degradation—will provide a more stringent test of whether he has addressed these challenges.
“Singapore will prove whether Yuki has truly vanquished his tyre problems on the long runs. But crucially, he got it right on the short runs. He was P6 in qualifying and that set him up for where he was in the race,”
Kravitz added.
“So good job Yuki Tsunoda, welcome back Yuki Tsunoda.”
Possible Outcomes for Tsunoda’s Career Post-2025
Kravitz predicts that Tsunoda may remain in the Red Bull ecosystem but likely move back to the sister team Racing Bulls, where he could reunite with Liam Lawson for the 2026 season. This shift would reflect Red Bull’s confidence in Hadjar as Verstappen’s partner and signal a strategic reallocation of drivers within their broader program.
“Is Yuki Red Bull’s guy, or is he Honda’s guy? That’s the question,”
Kravitz remarked.
Christian Horner and Helmut Marko have seen Tsunoda as closely linked to Honda, contrasting with Tsunoda’s own view of himself as primarily a Red Bull driver despite his Honda connections. Decisions by Mekies, Marko, and Alan Permane will ultimately shape whether Tsunoda continues within the Red Bull structure or transitions toward roles like a third driver at Aston Martin-Honda, maintaining his Honda affiliation but stepping back from Red Bull’s main team.
With Red Bull’s top seats seemingly decided, Tsunoda’s fate may involve contributing to Racing Bulls, which has struggled against teams such as Williams in the constructors’ standings. A strong finish to the year from Tsunoda would improve his chances of rejoining the team to help challenge rivals and accumulate points.
“It’s going to be behind Williams anyway and they kind of want to beat Williams, so lets get Yuki back if he’s scoring points again, and it’ll be Lawson-Tsunoda in the Racing Bulls.”
What Tsunoda’s Performance Means for His Racing Future
Tsunoda’s ability to overcome tyre degradation issues in Singapore is crucial for his survival within Red Bull’s plans. His recent improvements on short runs and qualifying have been promising, but the demanding conditions of Singapore will serve as a critical indicator of his sustained competitiveness. This evaluation will help Red Bull determine whether to keep him among their driver ranks or encourage a move to Racing Bulls or other associated teams.
The next few races will therefore be decisive, not only for Tsunoda’s immediate standing but also for the strategic driver lineup Red Bull fields in the coming seasons. With Verstappen and Hadjar projected as the senior team pairing, Tsunoda’s efforts to maintain his position within the program will shape his trajectory in Formula 1 going forward.
