Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies has spoken highly of Yuki Tsunoda’s skills as a Formula 1 driver, announcing that he will be relegated to a testing and reserve role in 2026.
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Isack Hadjar will join Max Verstappen at Red Bull after a promising F1 debut with Racing Bulls, while Tsunoda was paired with rookie Arvid Lindblad at Faenza but lost out to current driver Liam Lawson.
Tsunoda replaced Lawson at Red Bull after the first two grands prix, and a dismal 2025 season didn’t do him any favors, with the New Zealander’s early form abysmal. The Japanese driver finished well behind Verstappen in both qualifying and the race, scoring just 30 points at Red Bull, while the Dutchman entered the three-man title race with 396 points.
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“Yuki has been racing in Red Bull colors for seven years and I’m delighted to be working with him in both Red Bull teams,” said Mekis. “In five seasons in Formula 1 so far, Yuki has developed into a complete driver, with a strong lap performance on Saturday and the ability to make great starts and great race skills on Sunday.”
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing, Laurent Mekis, Alpine
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing, Laurent Mekis, Alpine
The wording here is important. Tsunoda is “capable” of achieving the aforementioned racing feat. In other words, Mekies recognized this huge potential, but his drivers didn’t consistently perform at that level.
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Mekis admitted somewhat reluctantly that Tsunoda’s lap speed – which was merely “good” – was because he trailed Verstappen 25-1 in qualifying, meaning he led 21-0 in non-sprint races.
Therefore, describing Tsunoda as a “complete racer” becomes a contradiction in terms.
“Everyone in the sport will agree that it’s impossible not to like Yuki, his personality is infectious and he has become a very special part of the Red Bull family,” the Frenchman added. “On behalf of everyone at Red Bull, I would like to thank him for his contribution to date and we know he will provide valuable support as the project progresses through 2026.”
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