After a disappointing start to his Red Bull career, it was hoped that Yuki Tsunoda’s results would improve after the summer break. The Japanese driver was to get the same specification car as Max Verstappen from Zandvoort onwards. However, Tsunoda could only manage two points in the Netherlands and failed to score at Monza.
Reports have emerged that Isack Hadjar is in line to replace Tsunoda in the second Red Bull seat next season. However, the Austrian team’s chief advisor, Helmut Marko, is still hopeful Yuki can deliver in the senior team.
Red Bull chief advisor hopes Yuki Tsunoda will deliver
Helmut Marko believes that Yuki Tsunoda can turn around his Red Bull fortunes. The Austrian thinks that the 25-year-old needs to show consistency by finishing in the points as often as possible. Marko also believes that new team principal Laurent Mekies can help the Japanese star.
Speaking to Kleine Zeitung, Marko said, “Since his promotion, Laurent Mekies has been very busy in all areas. He hasn’t yet had the time to work on Yuki (Tsunoda) in detail.
Helmut Marko Backs Yuki Tsunoda’s Comeback After Sports Psychologist Push and British GP Progress
“But we all still have hope for Yuki. His goal for the rest of the year must be to finish in the points as often and consistently as possible. Then we’ll see how things go next year.”
Marko went on to say that Red Bull won’t make any decisions until October. However, Tsunoda’s results will be expected to improve by then. Yuki has only had four points finishes in Grand Prix since joining the senior team. He will need to start scoring regularly if he is to remain alongside Verstappen.
Can Yuki Tsunoda turn his fortunes around?
After the summer break, Tsunoda has had two mixed weekends. In Zandvoort, the 25-year-old failed to make it into Q3 but managed to finish in P9 and score his first points since the Imola GP. In Monza, Yuki reached Q3 for only the third time with Red Bull this season, but his race faded as he dropped out of the points.
There are signs of improvement from the Japanese racer, but also the familiar feeling of disappointment. Speaking ahead of the Azerbaijan GP, he admitted that there are “things that even the team can’t really explain.”
Tsunoda looked to have the pace in FP1, finishing the session in P6, one place higher than Verstappen. However, in FP2, Yuki was stuck down in P14, half a second behind Max. Of course, practice should be taken with a grain of salt, as teams run different programs.
Red Bull Rumors Explode as Hadjar Is Linked to Verstappen Partnership in 2026
There is a high chance that Isack Hadjar will replace Tsunoda if results don’t improve. If that happens, Yuki could be out of the Red Bull family and left without a race seat. The 25-year-old does have talent, as seen in previous years, but the RB21 isn’t letting him showcase it.
