Racing Bulls’ Yuki Tsunoda looks the big loser of Red Bull’s F1 reshuffle

LONDON – Yuki Tsunoda will represent experience and continuity at Racing Bulls next season but, passed over for promotion, he looks to be running out of road at the Red Bull-owned Formula One team.

A flurry of Red Bull announcements culminated on Dec 20 with 20-year-old Isack Hadjar confirmed as the Japanese driver’s teammate for 2025.

The Frenchman takes the seat vacated by New Zealander Liam Lawson, who joins four-time champion Max Verstappen at the main team after Mexican Sergio Perez was dropped.

Tsunoda, 24, will be starting his fifth year with the team previously known as AlphaTauri and RB and has close ties to Red Bull’s engine partners Honda.

The Japanese manufacturer is leaving Red Bull at the end of 2025, however, to work with Aston Martin.

“We’re acutely aware that if we’re not able to provide an opportunity for Yuki (at Red Bull) in all honesty this year, does it (keeping him on) make sense?” Red Bull team boss Christian Horner told reporters.

“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.”

Horner added that he had spoken to Tsunoda, a fan favourite who is enjoying time off in Japan, and the driver was determined to show what he could do.

“I think he’s very determined,” said the Briton. “He knows that things change very quickly. Who would have thought nine months ago that we’d be sitting here talking about Liam Lawson being our driver for 2025?

“Things change quickly in this industry and he’s aware of that and he knows that he needs to be the one demonstrating that he’s the one knocking on the door.”

Italy-based Racing Bulls, who have had several name changes after Red Bull bought Minardi in 2005 and renamed them Toro Rosso, have always been a feeder for the title-winning main Milton Keynes team.

Drivers to have come through their ranks include four-time world champions Sebastian Vettel and Verstappen, as well as race winners Daniel Ricciardo, Pierre Gasly and Carlos Sainz.

Hadjar is one of a group of young prospects coming into the sport and Red Bull also have Arvid Lindblad as an exciting talent on the horizon.

“I look forward to working with and learning from Yuki,” Hadjar said.

“I’ve always looked up to him, he went through the Red Bull junior programme, like myself, and we’ve shared a similar path to F1.

“He’s very experienced and will be good to learn from.”

Meanwhile, Horner rates the 17-year-old Lindblad, who has British and Swedish nationality, particularly highly after a strong rookie season in Formula Three that included a Silverstone double win.

Currently without a super-licence, Lindblad will be seeking the necessary points in New Zealand early in 2025 before a full F2 season that could set him up for promotion in 2026 at Tsunoda’s expense.
REUTERS