F1. What future for Yuki Tsunoda at Red Bull?

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

This is the clearest sign yet that Red Bull not seriously considering Yuki Tsunoda as a main team option. They believe he is better suited to race at their sister team, where he serves as a benchmark for evaluating 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’m showing this year,” Yuki Tsunoda recently told Sky Sports. He notably outperformed Liam Lawson during qualifying for each of the six races that the New Zealander contested at the end of the 2024 season.

“I believe in myself, I show consistent results as much as possible and I hope they 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, Liam Lawson having been preferred for 2025.

He proved he was fast over a lap, with better qualifying performances than Daniel Ricciardo and Liam Lawson. He 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 to his credit, the Japanese driver must face a difficult choice: stay in the Red Bull family and hope to further change their perception, or leave to start again elsewhere.

What options?

Red Bull 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 Honda’s official F1 team in 2026, when the Japanese manufacturer will take over the supply of their engines, replacing Mercedes. As a Honda-backed driver, Yuki Tsunoda has previously been linked to Aston Martin. But this scenario would depend on several factors beyond his control.

The first is Fernando Alonso’s decision whether or not to extend his career beyond the 2026 season, when his current contract expires. The two-time world champion, who will be 45, has indicated that he sees 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 rules. The second factor is the position occupied by Lance Stroll, son of Aston Martin’s billionaire owner, Lawrence Stroll. As long as Lance wants to run, his father is unlikely to replace him.

While Aston Martin-Honda is an attractive option, there may simply be no space available. Other opportunities could present themselves at Audi, which will make its F1 debut in 2026, depending on the performance of Nico Hülkenberg and rookie Gabriel Bortoleto, or at Cadillac, which seems ready to become the 11th team in the world championship.

General Motors-backed project could offer Yuki Tsunoda a chance to build a team around himlike what former Red Bull drivers like Alex Albon at Williams and Pierre Gasly at Alpine have accomplished.

Red Bull’s rejection could well push Yuki Tsunoda to consider a change of environment.