Yuki Tsunoda on Racing Bulls exit: a decision he would change today. Yuki Tsunoda reflects on his Red Bull promotion.

Looking back, Yuki Tsunoda admits that he would not have left Racing Bulls at the start of the 2025 Formula 1 season. Today, Isack Hadjar finds himself in a very similar position.

Tsunoda without a seat in 2026

When Yuki Tsunoda was promoted from Racing Bulls to Red Bull, the Japanese driver embraced the challenge with words full of enthusiasm and pride, setting himself the ambitious target of a podium finish already at his home race in Suzuka. That top-three result, however, not only failed to materialise in Japan, but has continued to elude the number 22, who was forced to come to terms with the reality of a Red Bull car designed and developed around Max Verstappen.

The comparison with the four-time world champion has been brutal for Yuki Tsunoda — 385 points against just 30 — and ultimately led Red Bull to drop him in order to make room for Arvid Lindblad. Alongside Verstappen, the team promoted Yuki Tsunoda’s former Racing Bulls team-mate, Isack Hadjar. Leaving the Faenza-based team is now Yuki Tsunoda’s greatest regret, even though at the time he could not turn down the opportunity to drive for Red Bull.

Tsunoda’s words

“The only regret I have is losing that great car, the VCARB02. It was like leaving a child behind, it’s the car that I developed with the team over the years, ever since we’ve had these regulations. And I’m sure there’s also some of my DNA inside it. Leaving it without having managed to reach the level we wanted is something I really miss,” the Japanese driver admitted in Abu Dhabi.

Even the frightening crash in Q1 at Imola, which left him a step behind Max Verstappen in terms of updates, had an impact on his season: “It’s something that frustrates me a lot when I think back on it, it was really pointless and I couldn’t avoid it. It left me behind in terms of components.”

During the same meeting with journalists, Yuki Tsunoda also highlighted his progress with pride, believing that in the final part of the season he had come closer to Max Verstappen than anyone else, underlining how much he feels he has grown as a driver despite the difficult circumstances.