After replacing Liam Lawson for the third race of the season, Yuki Tsunoda has had a frustrating start to his Red Bull career. The Japanese racer has only recorded seven points in his 12 twelve Grand Prix, and has struggled to make it out of the first session in qualifying regularly.
Tsunoda has recently been within two-tenths of teammate Max Verstappen’s lap times. However, with the field so close now, that has meant the 25-year-old has dropped out of qualifying at earlier stages. The good news for Tsunoda is that Red Bull will bring an updated version of his RB21 to the Dutch GP, putting him on equal footing with Verstappen’s car.
Yuki Tsunoda to get the updated Red Bull from the Dutch GP
After a disappointing sprint race at the Belgian GP, the new team boss, Laurent Mekies, gave Tsunoda the new upgraded front wing for qualifying. Tsunoda was able to put his RB21 in P7 for the race, and he was holding his own until the pit stops. A miscommunication by the strategy team cost Tsunoda his first points since the Imola GP.
After the Belgian GP, Tsunoda confirmed that more upgrades will be put on his car to make it equal to Verstappen’s after the summer break. This can’t come soon enough for the Japanese star who finished a lowly seventeenth in Hungary.
Yuki Tsunoda Set for Verstappen-Level Red Bull Spec After Summer Break
In Belgium, Tsunoda showed that with an updated car, he can compete for points. With a new, fully kitted-out car, there will be no excuses left for Yuki. He has to perform and get his car near Max’s. If he can extract the performance from the upgrades, then this could be a turning point in Tusonda’s Red Bull career.
The issue is that even Verstappen is struggling to extract performance from the RB21. The team is now fully focusing on the 2026 season. No new upgrades are expected, so Red Bull will have to stick with their current package. Tsunoda has to keep within two-tenths of Verstappen’s pace. If he does, it will be seen as an improvement to kick-start his time with the Austrian team.
The pressure is on Yuki Tsunoda
Yuki Tsunoda is under immense pressure to deliver. Red Bull expects their second driver to back up Verstappen and deliver if he is out of the running. However, Tsunoda is yet to deliver the results the team needs.
Rumours have begun swirling around the F1 paddock as we enter ‘silly season’. Red Bull has been linked to former McLaren driver and four-time IndyCar champion Alex Palou. The Spaniard is contracted until 2026 with Chip Ganassi Racing. However, there is a reported clause which could see him leave a year early.
Red Bull’s 2026 F1 Plans Could Include a Surprise IndyCar Superstar
The pressure is on Tsunoda to now deliver as the seats on the grid are filling up. The only seats yet to be confirmed apart from his own are: Racing Bulls, Mercedes and Alpine. Mercedes is set to keep both of their drivers, while Racing Bulls will want stability and look to keep its two drivers.
This leaves one seat open at Alpine if Tsunoda is removed from Red Bull. Alpine will be using a Mercedes engine next season, which is predicted to perform the best with the new regulations. Yuki’s friend Pierre Gasly is also at the team. The pair worked well together during their time at Alpha Tauri. However, will Alpine want another Red Bull reject? Tsunoda’s best bet is to perform well in the final 10 races and secure a seat at Red Bull.
