Yuki Tsunoda’s future in Formula 1 has once again become a topic of discussion, even with the possibility of a return as a regular driver at Red Bull Racing being considered unlikely. Despite this, the Japanese driver has received support to secure a new opportunity on the grid.
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After four seasons at Red Bull’s sister team, Racing Bulls, Tsunoda was promoted to the main team in the third round of 2025, when he replaced Liam Lawson, who was demoted to Racing Bulls, where he continues as a regular driver in 2026. However, the Japanese driver’s results throughout last year did not meet expectations, with him scoring only thirty points during the entire season, which led to his replacement.
Even believing he had done enough in a difficult car, the RB21, Tsunoda ended up being demoted to reserve driver this year, while Isack Hadjar took his place as a regular driver. Since then, the Japanese driver has been working behind the scenes on the development of the new RB22, using his recent experience with both Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls.
Team principal Laurent Mekies highlighted the importance of Tsunoda’s work off the track, but acknowledged that drivers want to compete: “Yuki is doing a great job with us, not only as a reserve driver but also in the simulator. It’s great to have someone with such recent experience of the car helping behind the scenes,” he stated on the Beyond the Grid podcast.
Mekies also showed support for the Japanese driver to return to the grid as a regular: “Of course we hope an opportunity arises soon, because racing drivers were made to race. That’s what we want for Yuki,” he said, also highlighting that Tsunoda has shown significant speed in the past and deserves another chance in the category.
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Meanwhile, Hadjar has been impressing since his promotion. The Frenchman, who arrived after just one season at Racing Bulls, was fighting for a possible podium at the Australian GP when he faced an engine problem. After that, he scored his first points for Red Bull Racing in China and finished 12th in Japan.
Additionally, Hadjar has been in the top ten in every qualifying session held so far this year. Mekies praised the young driver’s dedication, highlighting his move to London and intense work in the simulator to speed up his adaptation to the team.
“Isack is in a great moment. He has done everything he could to maximize his integration with the team,” Mekies stated. The official also highlighted the Frenchman’s commitment, who even traveled between tests to work more time in the simulator.
Despite Hadjar’s good start, Mekies believes the season will still have ups and downs: “We believe that drivers evolve throughout the year and we expect that from Isack. He has the right talent and approach to take these steps,” the team principal concluded, while Tsunoda continues to wait for a new opportunity in Formula 1, which is not guaranteed to arise for him.
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