Tsunoda’s Fight: Racing Bulls Seat on the Line

His future is uncertain, his seat at risk. Tsunoda must deliver or face the possibility of losing his place in F1.

If Yuki Tsunoda wasn’t chosen by Red Bull to replace Sergio Pérez, it’s not just because of his ties to Aston Martin and Honda. It may be (primarily?) due to his strong emotions and lack of maturity, particularly on the radio, which Dr. Marko may have perceived as a weakness.

As he enters his fifth F1 season (already), Yuki Tsunoda acknowledges this flaw and says he has worked on it since Bahrain 2024, where his emotions flared up.

Could this help him secure an unexpected mid-season promotion to replace Liam Lawson if he fails to impress against Max Verstappen?

“I’ve worked a lot on managing my emotions, especially since the first race last year,” Yuki Tsunoda told Motorsport Week. “In Bahrain, certain things happened. I really realized I needed to change.”

“I made real progress over the season. I’m sure there weren’t many races where I shouted. Honestly, maybe just once or twice.”

“So yes, in that regard, I’ve felt a clear improvement. And that’s probably also one of the reasons I was able to stay calm when I heard the news.”

Yuki Tsunoda didn’t have it easy within the Red Bull family last year. As Racing Bulls’ most experienced driver, he watched Liam Lawson leap ahead of him for the promotion to Milton Keynes.

And with Daniel Ricciardo’s arrival, the Japanese driver even expected to be simply let go.

“Throughout the season, rumors were everywhere,” he explains. “As soon as Daniel got back in the car at the start of the year, people were saying almost every race: ‘Oh, Daniel could join Red Bull because Perez isn’t performing that well.’”

“They talked about it at every Grand Prix. I just wanted to hear a clear decision. But a few races before the final round, the rumors had already started circulating.”

“And then, the way Christian and the Red Bull guys were behaving didn’t really go in my favor.”

“So I also started preparing. I tried to anticipate mentally so that, even if the news wasn’t what I wanted to hear, I’d be able to immediately get back into the right mindset. That’s why I was ready.”

No motivation issues for Tsunoda this year?

Will Yuki Tsunoda struggle with motivation at Racing Bulls this season? His career, after all, seems to be stagnating.

Tsunoda embraces leadership role

Despite the challenges, the Japanese driver remains highly motivated by the prospect of taking on a new role—as the clear leader of his team and a mentor to his rookie teammate, Isack Hadjar.

“My motivation is the same as last year,” he states. “I’ve completely put all that aside in my mind. I don’t think about Red Bull anymore.”

“My goal is clear: to put this team in the best possible position before the first race. We need to regain the strength we had at the start of last season to aim for sixth place in the Constructors’ Championship.”

“As a driver, I also want to improve and take on a leadership role. I need to progress myself, but also prove to the team that I can be a real guide, capable of setting a clear direction in the car’s development.”

The Lindblad threat

However, Yuki Tsunoda’s future is far from secure. He is already under threat from Red Bull’s latest prodigy, Arvid Lindblad, who will be competing in F2 this year.

At the very least, he hopes that if another team—perhaps Aston Martin F1?—makes him an offer, Red Bull won’t stand in his way.

“Obviously, I’d love to join a top team that has already proven its competitiveness,” he admits. “But if this team (Racing Bulls) performs well this year, that would be incredible. It would probably be my greatest satisfaction.”

“Anything can happen.”

“But for the team to want to keep me next year, I have to show that I not only have the performance but also the ability to be a leader. That’s what I want to prove this season.”