After Sergio Perez’s departure from Red Bull was announced, the VCARB drivers Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda were the options to replace the Mexican. Red Bull chose Lawson to partner Max Verstappen in the second seat.
This decision leaves Tsunoda’s Red Bull career in limbo. The Japanese driver lost out on the promotion to a rookie with only eleven races under his belt. With Honda leaving Red Bull and moving to Aston Martin, where Tsuonda will race after 2025 is in speculation. The Red Bull team principal has added fuel to the fire by hinting at an exit for the 24-year-old.
Christian Horner questions if Red Bull should keep Yuki Tsunoda
Red Bull boss Christian Horner admitted that the team might need to let Yuki Tsunoda leave. After the 2025 season, Tsuonda will have spent five years in the junior team, and with little prospect of joining the senior team, Horner has indicated that it might be time for Yuki to move on.
🚨 BREAKING: Liam Lawson will race for Red Bull in the 2025 season!
He will partner Max Verstappen in the team after making the step up from their sister team, Racing Bulls.
Is this the right decision by Red Bull? 👇#F1 #Formula1 pic.twitter.com/BDfhwFTWBJ
— Fastest Pitstop (@FastestPitStop) December 19, 2024
Horner said: “We’re acutely aware that if we’re not able to provide an opportunity for Yuki – being, in all honesty, this year [2025] – does it make sense [to keep him]? You can’t have a driver in the support team for five years. You can’t always be the bridesmaid. You’ve either got to let them go at that point or look at something different.”
However, Horner has hinted Yuki’s Red Bull career might not be completely over, saying things can change very quickly in F1. As for Tsunoda, he might feel his Red Bull career is finished after being overlooked by a rookie. Tsunoda did outscore Lawson in the final six races and beat him in every qualifying session. Despite this record, Red Bull picked the Kiwi over him.
What are Yuki Tsunoda’s options following the 2025 season?
After the senior team snub and Horner’s comment, Tsunoda might need to look for a fresh challenge. The best choice for him might be to follow Honda to Aston Martin. Honda has backed Tsunoda since 2016 and throughout his junior career. When Yuki arrived in F1, Honda powered Red Bull and Alpha Tauri. Honda gave Tsunoda their backing.
Once it was revealed Honda would leave Red Bull post-2025, it was unlikely Yuki would get the promotion. Following the Japanese engine supplier would be the smart move for Yuki. However, finding an available seat might be tricky. Lance Stroll is seen as the weaker driver, but his dad owns the team. Fernando Alonso is a two-time world champion and will look to link up with Adrien Newey to challenge for the 2026 title.
The option could be a move to Cadillac F1. The new team will join in 2026 and has not announced a driver line-up. Tsunoda would be a perfect option for them as he is vastly experienced and has become a consistent driver. This might be his best chance at securing a seat for 2026.
