Christian Horner “bids farewell” to Yuki Tsunoda: “It might not make sense to keep him”. Christian Horner seems to suggest that Yuki Tsunoda should start looking for another team in 2026.

Yuk Tsunoda sacrificed once again
Red Bull remains just a dream for Yuki Tsunoda. Joining Formula 1 in 2021 with hopes of one day becoming Max Verstappen‘s teammate, the Japanese driver has been overtaken first by Daniel Ricciardo (tipped as the favorite to replace Sergio Perez mid-season) and then by Liam Lawson, who earned a promotion to Red Bull with only 11 Formula 1 Grands Prix under his belt.

These are challenging days for Yuki Tsunoda, who will need to respond and show great professionalism as he prepares for a future with another team. This seems increasingly likely given that his stint with Red Bull is expected to conclude at the end of 2025, both due to the lack of opportunities within the team and the end of the Honda partnership with Milton Keynes. Team Principal Christian Horner has also acknowledged this. Although Horner advises Yuki Tsunoda to stay ready “because you never know what might happen,” the most probable scenario seems to be a farewell.

Christian Horner’s words
“We’re aware that it might not make sense to keep Yuki if we can’t offer him an opportunity. You can’t have a driver in the support team for five years. At that point, you either let him go or consider something else,” commented Horner.

“I’ve spoken with Yuki; I think he’s very determined. He knows things can change very quickly. Who would have thought nine months ago that we’d be here talking about Lawson as our driver for 2025? Things change fast in this business, and he’s aware of that.”