Yuki Tsunoda gets real on missing out at Red Bull, revealing his frustration and doubts about why the team chose Liam Lawson.
Tsunoda isn’t one to sugarcoat things. When asked in Melbourne about Liam Lawson’s promotion to Red Bull Racing, the Japanese driver didn’t pretend to be thrilled.
“Saying I’m happy for him would be a lie,” Tsunoda admitted bluntly.
As he gears up for another season with Racing Bulls, the 23-year-old had his sights set on that Red Bull seat. Instead, he watched his former teammate, who stepped in last year as a substitute, get the call-up he had been working for.
“He did what he had to do,” Tsunoda acknowledged. “He gave 100%, just like I did. But in the end, it was Red Bull’s decision, and honestly, it doesn’t feel great for me. That’s just how it is.”
Despite the disappointment, Tsunoda insists there’s no bad blood between them. “We’re still friends, we still talk. We were teammates in junior categories, and that hasn’t changed.”
Tsunoda Questions Red Bull’s Motives: ‘Performance Wasn’t Key
However, the timing of the decision left little room for discussion. “They told me about Liam 30 minutes before the announcement. To be honest, I didn’t really try to understand their reasons.”
And while some might assume performance was the deciding factor, Tsunoda has his doubts. “I didn’t get the impression they picked him purely based on performance. It felt like Red Bull had a certain atmosphere in mind.”
Still, he knows nothing is set in stone. “They made it clear that performance wasn’t their main concern—but also that anything can happen. Like we saw last year, I just have to keep doing my job.”
Tsunoda also revealed that Helmut Marko had a direct message for him: leadership is key. “Helmut told me it’s important to be a leading driver to develop. That’s my focus this season.”
For Tsunoda, the fight isn’t over. If Red Bull’s decisions are unpredictable, then he’ll just have to give them something impossible to ignore.
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Tsunoda Speaks Out: “Happy for Lawson? That’s a Lie”. formula 1 2025 Tsunoda Speaks Out: “Happy for Lawson? That’s a Lie”
