Fan Poll Delivers Bleak Outlook on Yuki Tsunoda's F1 Future

Yuki Tsunoda's Formula 1 career is at a crossroads after a difficult 2025 season saw him demoted from Red Bull to a reserve driver role. A new fan poll casts a long shadow over his prospects, with a vast majority of respondents believing his time as a full-time driver is over. The Japanese driver struggled to match the pace of teammate Max Verstappen after his mid-season promotion, leading to a swift change in plans for 2026.

Why it matters:

Tsunoda's journey from a promising talent to a driver facing an uncertain future highlights the immense pressure and ruthless nature of competing at the top level of F1, especially within the Red Bull family. His case serves as a stark reminder of the "Verstappen effect," where several drivers have struggled to perform alongside the four-time world champion, potentially derailing their careers.

The details:

• Tsunoda was promoted from Racing Bulls to Red Bull early in the 2025 season but failed to extract performance from the car alongside Verstappen.
• Red Bull confirmed he will be a reserve driver in 2026, with junior driver Isack Hadjar taking his race seat.
• A RacingNews365 poll revealed a grim outlook for the 24-year-old's career:
  • 69.96% believe he will not be given another full-time F1 seat.
  • 20.66% think he could return for the 2027 season.
  • 9.36% hold out hope for a mid-2026 comeback.

What's next:

Tsunoda's immediate future will be on the sidelines, serving as Red Bull's reserve and test driver. This role could provide an opportunity to rebuild his confidence and demonstrate his value to the team. However, with the grid potentially tightening for 2027 and other young drivers emerging, his path back to a full-time race seat appears exceptionally difficult and will depend heavily on his performance in a reserve capacity and any potential openings that may arise.