Yuki Tsunoda will continue to race for Visa RB in 2025, despite expressing his desire multiple times in 2024 to move up to Red Bull’s main team. However, he lost out to teammate Liam Lawson at the last minute. The New Zealander will be alongside Max Verstappen next year, while Tsunoda must remain with the ‘junior team’. Reportedly, the 24-year-old driver could have tried his luck with other teams, but Red Bull refused to let him go.
During the summer, Yuki Tsunoda already signed a one-year contract with Visa RB, hoping to convert this into a collaboration with Red Bull. The Japanese driver has already raced for the training team for four seasons. During this period, he has had no less than four teammates; initially, he was outperformed by Pierre Gasly, but then he outpaced Nyck de Vries, Daniel Ricciardo, and Liam Lawson. Yet, it is Lawson who will take over Sergio Pérez’s seat next year.
In an interview with ESPN, Red Bull team boss Christian Horner explained that Yuki Tsunoda could potentially end up with another racing team in the future. “We are well aware that since we can’t give Tsunoda a chance at Red Bull, there’s little point in keeping him. You can’t keep a driver in the support team for five years. As a driver, you can’t always play second fiddle. At some point, it’s time to look for something else.
One More Year as a Trump Card
The Japanese Autosport Web suggests that Red Bull deliberately chose not to let Yuki Tsunoda go in 2025. While his management was already in talks with Alpine, Sauber, and Haas this season, the Austrians refused to release him. During this period, the 24-year-old driver was in the form of his life. Teammate Daniel Ricciardo had to admit defeat while Tsunoda comfortably scored points.
Although Horner indicates that a driver should not waste five years at what is essentially Red Bull’s development team, Tsunoda was still presented with a new contract. Because Sergio Pérez and Daniel Ricciardo both disappointed, Red Bull wants to keep a trump card for 2025. However, according to Autosport Web, there is a reason that Tsunoda only signed a one-year contract. In 2026, he will choose a new employer regardless. Aston Martin, which will start using Honda engines from that year, seems to be the most logical option for now.
