Honda Racing President Koji Watanabe has officially dismissed all recent speculation suggesting that Japanese Formula 1 driver Yuki Tsunoda might leave the Red Bull Racing team before the end of the current championship.
Following two disappointing race weekends for Liam Lawson while driving for Red Bull Racing, the Anglo-Austrian outfit made a strategic decision to reshuffle its driver lineup. The New Zealander was replaced by Yuki Tsunoda, who was promoted from Racing Bulls (formerly AlphaTauri) to become Max Verstappen’s new teammate ahead of the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix. As part of the switch, Lawson returned to Racing Bulls. However, despite the reshuffle, the results have not been encouraging. Due to ongoing difficulties behind the wheel of the RB21, Tsunoda has managed to score only 7 points in ten races, raising questions about his performance and prompting speculation over a potential early exit from the Red Bull senior team before the season concludes.
This type of mid-season driver change is not new for Red Bull. The team has a history of making such decisions, including in past seasons with several drivers who previously shared the garage with reigning World Champion Max Verstappen. The latest rumors suggested a possible return of Liam Lawson to Red Bull in place of Yuki Tsunoda. However, Koji Watanabe, President of Honda Racing Corporation, has now firmly denied any plans for Tsunoda to be replaced before the end of the 2025 season.
In comments published by the Japanese website AS, Watanabe made the situation crystal clear: “First of all, there was never any discussion of a change during the summer break,” he stated. “During our discussions with Red Bull back in March, we agreed on Yuki’s transfer to the Red Bull Racing team, and we said: ‘Just because his performances may be slightly lacking, we will not immediately start discussing a replacement. Instead, we will take a long-term view.’ So, I do not believe he will be replaced during the summer. I am aware of the various rumors, but I personally confirmed the situation with the team during the British Grand Prix weekend at Silverstone. I want to clarify that, fundamentally, Yuki Tsunoda will remain with Red Bull Racing until the end of this season.”
Watanabe also stressed that the second half of the season will be crucial for evaluating Yuki Tsunoda’s potential continuation with the Red Bull team beyond 2025. His progress over the remaining rounds of the championship will likely influence the future of the partnership between the Japanese driver and the energy drink-backed team.
“I believe this reflects the high expectations that Red Bull still has for Yuki,” Watanabe added. “Those expectations have not changed. If he can achieve solid results in the second part of the season, I believe it will significantly increase his chances for the future.”
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