Yuki Tsunoda at Red Bull? The 2024 season has just ended, but questions about the Racing Bulls’ driver lineup for 2025 remain unresolved. The seat alongside Max Verstappen is still up for grabs, with several drivers linked to the Milton Keynes-based team.
During last week’s end-of-season test at Yas Marina, Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda had the opportunity to drive the RB20, the car with which Max Verstappen won his fourth consecutive world title, equaling the great names of Formula 1.
While Milton Keynes can celebrate its eighth title in the Drivers’ Championship, the team’s performance in the Constructors’ Championship was different; Red Bull Racing finished third in the 2024 Formula 1 season, behind McLaren (who won the title after 26 years) and Scuderia Ferrari. Much of the result was hindered by Sergio Perez’s underperformance, as he finished 285 points behind his teammate.
Regarding Perez’s poor performance in 2024, it is likely that, just before Christmas, Red Bull will identify Verstappen’s new teammate, potentially parting ways with Perez. Helmut Marko has stated that the driver lineup for next season will be announced in the coming days.
Several names have been floated as potential replacements for the Mexican driver, including Liam Lawson, Yuki Tsunoda, and Isack Hadjar, who just finished his Formula 2 season behind Gabriel Bortoleto. Recently, Helmut Marko also expressed admiration for Arvid Lindblad, who has been promoted to F2 for 2025. So, the British driver is one to watch for future F1 lineups.
However, the most likely candidate to join Red Bull seems to be New Zealander Liam Lawson, who finished the previous season with Racing Bulls after stepping in for Daniel Ricciardo following the Singapore Grand Prix. Isack Hadjar could potentially team up with Tsunoda, who is not yet ruled out for a potential move to Milton Keynes.
“I’ve heard a lot about how impressed they were, particularly with my feedback. This didn’t come just from the engineers on track but also from the engineers who support from afar at Red Bull’s factory in Milton Keynes. They told me how impressed they were with my contribution. This was one of the areas I focused on ,” said Yuki Tsunoda after the test sessions at Yas Marina on December 10. Tsunoda finished the day in 17th place with a lap time of 1:24.689 and was confident about the strengths that Red Bull had observed.
“I believe Red Bull already knows my speed isn’t a problem. Instead, what they are more focused on are things like my feedback, my behavior within the team, and how I behave in the car. They probably see these areas as the unknowns. So, keeping that in mind, I continued to provide feedback as usual, trying to communicate as fully and in as much detail as possible ,” continued the Japanese driver, who, after four years as part of the satellite team, had never had the opportunity to test a Red Bull car before the recent tests.
Tsunoda also highlighted the differences between the two teams: “Even though the two teams are quite different, there are some similarities, particularly in the positive atmosphere. Our team has a very Italian feel – friendly, with a lot of physical expressions and interactions. While Red Bull also has a very energetic atmosphere, almost like being in a pub. If I were to give an example regarding the engineering process, Red Bull digs into every one of my comments. They leave nothing unexamined, asking very detailed follow-up questions to explore every aspect further. Even though they have this energetic vibe when it comes to engineering and the car, they are incredibly precise and attentive to detail. In a way, I think this precision aligns with the attention to detail typical of Japanese culture. I also felt a great energy, where everyone shares feedback freely without hesitation. That’s not to say we don’t have that in our team, but I think the two teams differ slightly in this regard “.
“I think the chances are 50-50. Obviously, I’d be thrilled if I could race for Red Bull, but I’m extremely grateful for all the support I’m receiving in this situation. Regardless of which team I’m with, my job remains the same. It’s not just about Red Bull. For all we know, VCARB could surpass them in development. It doesn’t have to be Red Bull. I don’t know what will happen, but I just want to perform well and earn points. Standing on the podium in Suzuka would be the ultimate dream. But to get there, I want to help build a better car and a better team one day. Until then, I hope everyone can be patient ” Tsunoda concluded, discussing the possibility of racing for Red Bull.
Photo: Formula 1, Oracle Red Bull Racing.
