Yuki Tsunoda, the 25-year-old Japanese driver, has lost his seat in Formula 1 with Red Bull at the end of the 2025 season, but is now receiving support from the team director, Laurent Mekies, who believes he deserves a new chance to compete full-time.
Tsunoda had a difficult season in 2025, scoring only 30 points in 22 races, which left him in 17th place in the championship. This situation led him to be relegated to the role of reserve driver.
Despite his challenges, Mekies has praised Tsunoda, stating that he has proven to have the knowledge and speed necessary to compete at the highest level: “Yuki has been very useful as a reserve driver and also as a simulator driver,” Mekies said in a podcast. “His experience and knowledge of the car are very helpful to us.”
Unfortunately, Tsunoda’s return to his former team seems unlikely, as the other driver, Isack Hadjar, has shown promising performance in his first season, including a third-place finish in qualifying on his debut in Melbourne.
Mekies has highlighted Hadjar’s dedication, who has been very active in integrating into the team, contributing to his early success. In contrast, the hope for Tsunoda is that he can find an opportunity to return to full-time competition in alternative places on the Formula 1 circuit.
In summary, Mekies’ support underscores the belief that Tsunoda has the talent to shine again, although the path to achieve that could be complicated at present.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
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