The second seat at Red Bull Racing has been a major topic of conversation for years now, as not one driver has been able to match Max Verstappen over a season. Current occupant of that seat, Yuki Tsunoda, is sadly no exception.
The Japanese driver has only accumulated 7 points in his ten-race stint with the team, and tensions are starting to rise. Especially now that Team Principal Christian Horner is no longer around.
Guenther Steiner comments on Horner’s exit at Red Bull
In a recent interview with Red Flags Podcast, Guenther Steiner reacted to the recent sacking of Christian Horner and the effects that might have on the team:
“I was pretty surprised when it happened, I mean, you know that there was something going on at Red Bull, I think we all were aware of it.”
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“We cannot say ‘Oh, we didn’t know that something was going on’ because it’s more than a year now since we had whatever it was called, that scandal in the beginning of last year. It wasn’t happy days anymore at Red Bull, I would say. But I didn’t expect that.
“I mean, if something like this happens, normally Red Bull is pretty good in managing it a little bit, but this came completely out of the blue to me.”
He then commented on what might be next for Red Bull as they continue to struggle with scoring points consistently in 2025. Pointing to Tsunoda, who can be fired way more easily than a Red Bull Veteran who helped build the team.
Yuki Tsunoda in trouble due to lacking performance
Despite showing flashes of pace during race weekends, Tsunoda has so far failed to deliver consistently. Reaching the lower end of the points on several occasions is the most we’ve seen from the driver this year. As far as Guenther Steiner is concerned, Yuki’s days at Red Bull are numbered if no improvements are made quickly.
“Yuki Tsunoda needs to make points, otherwise I really think latest end of the year, he’s out of there, but it could be before. As much as we love Yuki, because I love him as well, it’s one of these things. He needs to bring the performance.”
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“I think this is saying, we let Christian Horner go, we changed Liam Lawson. So it’s one of these things. If he doesn’t shape up, he will not be there for a long time anymore.”
Red Bull is currently in 4th place in the Constructors’ championship, but the second seat has only contributed 7 points to the tally. Verstappen, on the other hand, has a total of 165 points.
With the summer break approaching quickly, there is no telling what kind of driver moves we’ll see for 2026. Additionally, the current rumours making the rounds in the paddock suggest the same fate for other personnel at Red Bull.
