Suzuka, his home track. Two days, a Red Bull in his hands, and a lot to prove—especially to himself. Yuki Tsunoda is the only one among the twenty drivers on the 2025 Abu Dhabi grid who found himself without a seat for the current season. Not due to a lack of talent, he insists, but because of a tactical choice: staying within the Red Bull orbit as a test and reserve driver, giving up a year of racing to maintain his position in one of the paddock’s strongest teams.
An RB22 all to himself
Today and tomorrow’s Pirelli test at Suzuka is much more than a standard tire data-gathering session. For the Japanese driver, it represents his first real contact with the RB22, and consequently, the first genuine impression of the new 2026 Formula 1—a category that has already divided opinion within the paddock, with feedback so far leaning largely negative.
Waiting or risking: Tsunoda’s strategic gamble
“If I had wanted to race, I would have chosen another team. I decided not to, to stay in Formula 1. I don’t regret it,” Yuki Tsunoda told local media during his home Grand Prix. His stance is clear, yet it comes with the awareness of how difficult it is to return once a driver leaves the grid.
Meanwhile, his role has not been passive: he follows the team every weekend from Friday, works on the simulator at his own pace, and claims to be in the best physical condition of his career. His stated goal is to return to racing in 2026 with the Milton Keynes family. However, the paddock does not wait, and alternatives are multiplying.
Exploring alternatives: IndyCar and Formula E
Tsunoda’s name has been linked to IndyCar—specifically Dale Coyne Racing, which eventually went to Romain Grosjean—and Formula E has opened concrete channels for him. The new, technologically ambitious Gen4 Formula E cars have already drawn the attention of several former F1 drivers. For Tsunoda, it could become a credible plan B, though for now it remains secondary to his main ambition: returning to F1 with Red Bull.
Focus on Suzuka: first steps toward the future
For now, though, there is Suzuka. There is a reluctant Red Bull to drive and valuable data to provide to Pirelli, which is working on developing the dry tires for 2027. Alongside Racing Bulls, the team will complete this first session before additional appointments scheduled in April. Small steps, all in preparation for the big leap.
In summary, Yuki Tsunoda is using the Suzuka test to prove he hasn’t lost his edge despite his reserve status. Based on his recent comments, he remains fully committed to the Red Bull project, viewing this year on the sidelines as a necessary sacrifice for a long-term future in the pinnacle of motorsport.
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