Red Bull addresses Yuki Tsunoda's F1 future after 2026 seat loss

Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies has expressed confidence that Yuki Tsunoda will secure another Formula 1 race seat in the future, despite the team's decision to drop him for the 2026 season. Tsunoda will remain with the Red Bull family as a test and reserve driver next year after being replaced by Isack Hadjar at the senior team.

Why it matters:

The decision highlights the intense pressure and short timelines drivers face within the Red Bull driver program. For Tsunoda, a driver who showed significant promise in late 2024, the move represents a major professional setback. His potential path back to a race seat, as outlined by Mekies, underscores the volatile and unpredictable nature of F1 driver markets, especially for those under the Red Bull umbrella.

The details:

• Red Bull confirmed its 2026 lineup will feature Max Verstappen alongside rookie Isack Hadjar, with Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad filling the Racing Bulls seats.
• Mekies called the choice to drop Tsunoda a "very difficult decision," citing the challenging nature of driving the Red Bull car and the need to make a long-term call on the driver's trajectory.
• The team principal pointed to Tsunoda's own rapid promotion in 2025 as a blueprint for a potential comeback. After Lawson was promoted to Red Bull for 2025, Tsunoda entered the winter without a confirmed seat, only to be called up to replace a struggling Lawson after just three races.

What's next:

Tsunoda's immediate future is set as Red Bull's reserve driver for 2026, keeping him closely integrated with the team and ready to step in if an opportunity arises. Mekies's comments suggest the door is not permanently closed, and Tsunoda's performance in the simulator and any potential FP1 outings will be crucial. His fate now depends on both his own continued development and the unpredictable performance or circumstances of other drivers on the grid, proving that in Formula 1, a setback is rarely the final word.