One of the biggest disappointments of 2025 is surely Yuki Tsunoda, who has once again been excluded from joining the main Red Bull team. Christian Horner and Helmut Marko have chosen Liam Lawson instead. However, the British team principal is not completely ruling out opportunities for the Japanese driver.
Yuki Tsunoda entered the top tier of motorsport back in 2021. Over four seasons, despite not always having a competitive car, he has managed to showcase his speed. In his first Grand Prix, he immediately finished in the points, secured sixth place in Hungary, and fourth in Abu Dhabi, all in the same season.
His performances declined in 2022 and 2023, but last year, Yuki Tsunoda was very competitive. He consistently outperformed his teammate Daniel Ricciardo, who had more experience in the category, and finished 12th in the final standings.
However, alongside these results, there were also instances where Yuki Tsunoda made serious, sometimes entirely avoidable, mistakes. In the 2022 Canadian GP, for example, he exited the pit lane on hard tires in fully wet conditions and crashed into the barriers at the exit of Turn 1.
Perhaps it is these performances that led Horner and Marko to opt for Liam Lawson. The young New Zealand driver has made the most of the few opportunities he had to prove himself.
“We hope the Racing Bulls team takes another step forward, making use of rear suspension, the gearbox, and other aspects they can benefit from with us,” said Horner. “As the team and its new management mature, it will be natural to progress.”
“As for Yuki Tsunoda, he is very determined. He knows that things can change very quickly. Who would have thought nine months ago that we would be talking about Liam Lawson as our driver for 2025? Things change fast in this industry, and he is aware of that. He knows he must prove himself as someone who can knock on our door.”
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