After Red Bull F1 2025 snub, what next for Yuki Tsunoda?

Yuki Tsunoda finds himself coming towards an F1 career crossroads after being overlooked by the senior Red Bull team.

Red Bull’s decision to promote Racing Bulls teammate Liam Lawson over Tsunoda as Sergio Perez’s replacement for 2025 means he will contest a fifth season at their second team. He is expected to be joined by Red Bull junior and Formula 2 championship runner-up Isack Hadjar.

It is the clearest sign yet that Red Bull do not view Tsunoda as a serious option and that they believe he is best suited to race for their sister squad where he can be an excellent yardstick to judge their other junior drivers against.

While that has served Tsunoda well for several years, he feels he is now ready for the step up.

“All I can control is my performance like I’m showing this year so far,” Tsunoda, who outqualified Lawson at all of the six races the New Zealander contested at the end of 2024, recently told Sky Sports F1.

“I trust myself and show my consistent results as much as possible and hopefully they’ll change their mind.

“I’ll do as much as I can and I know what I can do when I step into Red Bull.”

Despite claiming to have “impressed” Red Bull with his technical feedback in his end-of-season test outing in the RB20, he won’t get that opportunity, with Lawson instead getting the nod for 2025.

Tsunoda has proved he is quick over one lap, holding a better qualifying record than both Ricciardo and Lawson. He has also become a more consistent driver and worked on his temperament and tendency to have outbursts over team radio - which was viewed as his biggest weakness.

Now 24 and an experienced grand prix driver with close to 100 starts to his name, the Japanese racer faces a difficult choice for career; stick with the Red Bull family in the hope he can still change their minds, or leave and start afresh elsewhere. 

Where else could Tsunoda go? 

Red Bull have exercised their option to retain Tsunoda but the deal only covers the 2025 season, meaning that he will be a free agent for 2026 - when F1’s regulations will be overhauled.

Perhaps the most intriguing option for Tsunoda, were he to decide to cut ties with Red Bull, would come at Aston Martin.

Excitingly, Aston Martin are about to become Honda’s works F1 team when the Japanese manufacturer takes over their power unit supply from Mercedes as part of a deal from 2026.

Tsunoda has already found himself linked to Aston Martin as a result of being a Honda-backed driver.

But such a move would ultimately depend on factors outside of Tsunoda’s control.

The first is whether Fernando Alonso decides to extend his legendary F1 career beyond the end of the 2026 season when his current contract expires.

The two-time world champion, who will be 45 when his deal runs out, has admitted he is treating 2026 like his final F1 season. However, the Spaniard is keeping the door open to prolonging his career.

Aston Martin’s competitiveness at the start of F1’s new rules era - with a car designed by Adrian Newey - will be the biggest influence behind Alonso’s decision. If he believes there is any chance of winning a third world title, he will surely stay put.

The other seat is occupied by Lance Stroll, son of Aston Martin’s billionaire opener Lawrence. The drive is effectively Stroll’s for as long as he wants to keep racing and it is hard to imagine his father kicking his son out of the team.

As much as the Aston Martin-Honda collaboration would have obvious appeal for Tsunoda, there may be no room at the inn.

Alternatively, there could be openings at the soon-to-be Audi F1 team for 2026 depending on how new recruits Nico Hulkenberg and rookie Gabriel Bortoleto perform, or at Cadillac, who look poised to become the world championship’s 11th team.

The General Motors-backed project may be an option for Tsunoda if he wants to look to build a team around him, similar to what past Red Bull drivers Alex Albon and Pierre Gasly have gone on to do at Williams and Alpine respectively.

Tsunoda can also take inspiration from the success Carlos Sainz has had since cutting ties with Red Bull after he too was overlooked.

The four-time grand prix winner, who has gone on to race for McLaren, Ferrari and is making the move to Williams, has shown that sometimes the grass is greener elsewhere.

Red Bull’s snub might just prompt Tsunoda to consider a change of environment.