The 2025 Formula 1 season was a true challenge for Yuki Tsunoda, who finished in 17th place in the drivers’ standings, despite being teammate to title contender Max Verstappen at Red Bull. This situation is surprising in the barometer of motorsport, where it is hard to imagine that a driver from a competitive team could end up so low on the points table.
While there have been previous cases, like Felipe Massa with Ferrari in 2012, Tsunoda’s trajectory has been particularly unique. After Red Bull’s decision to let go of Sergio Pérez for his lack of performance, the team opted for Liam Lawson instead of Tsunoda, thinking that Lawson’s limited experience would be offset by greater potential.
Lawson did not have much time to prove himself; after two races without points, he was returned to the Racing Bulls team, finally giving Tsunoda a chance to join the main team. At that moment, the Japanese driver was optimistic about his adaptation.
Tsunoda had commented that he liked cars with good front grip, and although the characteristics of the Red Bull car, which tend to suffer from understeer, posed him initial difficulties, he trusted in his skills to adapt. Despite his efforts, performance was well below expectations: while Verstappen won eight races during the season, Tsunoda did not manage to reach the podium, with a maximum finish of sixth place achieved in Baku.
Above all, the Japanese driver faced difficulties in qualifying, with a total of 27 sessions in which he only managed to enter Q3 on eight occasions. His results contrasted dramatically with those of Verstappen, whom he only outperformed once and averaged 0.6 seconds slower.
Reflecting on his problems with the RB21, Tsunoda confessed that he did not fully understand the car’s characteristics. In a podcast, he commented: ‘Normally, I know what I am driving and its characteristics. But after Abu Dhabi, I didn’t know what I was driving.’ The lack of confidence and the stress of competition affected him, and he acknowledged that he lost confidence in certain races.
Another aspect to consider was his attempt to adapt to Verstappen’s driving style, a mistake he now regards as one of his greatest. ‘I have enough ego not to change my driving style,’ he explained. Even with several test configurations from the champion’s car, he did not achieve the expected results, leading him to rethink his driving method.
As the season progressed, Tsunoda realized that his experience with the team was not meeting expectations, and at the end of the season, he was informed that he would not be retained as a race driver, assuming the role of reserve in 2026. Although the news did not surprise him, he admitted it was a moment of great relief after such an intensely stressful year.
He remembers that, despite the disappointment of not continuing as a race driver, the Japanese felt he had given his best. With a year of struggle and pressure, he now looks forward to his future role within the world of Formula 1.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
