Yuki Tsunoda has revealed how a holiday in Greece was abruptly interrupted by the phone call he had been waiting for: a return to the Formula 1 grid. The Japanese driver will race for Racing Bulls at the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix after Isack Hadjar’s wrist injury triggered a reshuffle across Red Bull’s two teams, with Liam Lawson moving up to replace the Frenchman at Red Bull.
For Yuki Tsunoda, who lost his full-time Formula 1 seat at the end of 2025, the unexpected opportunity offers another chance to demonstrate what he can do in race conditions. Although he lacks experience with the new-generation 2026 cars, the Red Bull and Racing Bulls reserve driver insists he has remained physically and mentally prepared through regular training, simulator work and Testing of Previous Cars sessions.
Yuki Tsunoda reveals how his surprise F1 return began
It was the phone call that extended Yuki Tsunoda’s racing life. The Japanese driver was on holiday in Greece when his manager contacted him on Tuesday with a simple instruction: “You need to come back to Great Britain!”
Yuki Tsunoda was on the beach with friends and initially wanted to know what was happening. “I’ve been in Greece for 24 hours and you already want me to come back to the UK, but tell me why?”
The answer was brief: “Maybe you could race this weekend.”
Yuki Tsunoda’s reply was immediate: “I’m coming straight away.”
That was how he learned about Isack Hadjar’s wrist injury. Liam Lawson has been chosen to take Hadjar’s Red Bull seat alongside Max Verstappen, leaving Lawson’s Racing Bulls cockpit available for Tsunoda. The Japanese driver will therefore make his Formula 1 return at Zandvoort during a particularly significant 2026 Dutch Grand Prix weekend.
Why Red Bull chose Liam Lawson over Yuki Tsunoda
Since losing his race seat at the end of 2025, Yuki Tsunoda has served as the third driver for Red Bull and Racing Bulls from the team’s Milton Keynes base. However, he was not chosen to replace the injured Isack Hadjar directly at Red Bull.
Laurent Mekies and his staff preferred Liam Lawson for the straightforward reason that the New Zealander has more experience with the 2026 Formula 1 cars. That decision sends Yuki Tsunoda back to the Faenza-based Racing Bulls operation, an environment he knows extremely well after spending five years with the team.
Racing Bulls is also enjoying a strong season, sitting fifth in the Constructors’ Championship with a five-point advantage over Alpine.
Yuki Tsunoda has not raced in Formula 1 since the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, but he has remained active behind the wheel this year through several TPC outings in previous Red Bull machinery, as well as extensive simulator work.
“It was completely unexpected,” Yuki Tsunoda admitted. “But I don’t feel unprepared. In fact, I’m quite calm and I can’t wait for tomorrow. It’s a moment I’ve been waiting for and I was dying to experience this feeling. Watching every race only on a screen, I really felt the desire to get back behind the wheel. Physically and mentally, I think I’m in pretty good shape because I’ve trained every day.”
Tsunoda identifies biggest challenge with Racing Bulls VCARB 03
Yuki Tsunoda has also taken part in several Red Bull TPC sessions, meaning his return does not come after months without driving a Formula 1 car. However, adapting immediately to the Racing Bulls VCARB 03 and its procedures will be one of his biggest challenges at Zandvoort.
“The most difficult thing will be getting familiar with the Racing Bulls directly on track, given that I was only in the Faenza simulator on Wednesday. With Red Bull, I did four TPC sessions and in each one I covered the distance of five Grands Prix.”
“I just need to get used to the VCARB 03, a car that I think is quite different. And to the new procedures, such as the start. It won’t be easy, but I want to enjoy the moment.”
There is little doubt that Yuki Tsunoda would have possessed greater familiarity with the RB22 than Liam Lawson, but Red Bull has made its choice. Tsunoda, meanwhile, is focusing entirely on the opportunity he has been given rather than questioning the decision.
“I’m not confused and I don’t feel pressure because I’m going back home to the guys at Racing Bulls, where I spent five years.”
Yuki Tsunoda sees F1 comeback as chance to prove himself
It remains uncertain whether Yuki Tsunoda’s Racing Bulls return will be limited to Zandvoort. Much will depend on how Isack Hadjar’s recovery from the wrist injury develops, with the French driver’s availability for subsequent races yet to be determined. Hadjar has already sent Tsunoda a message ahead of his return to Formula 1 action.
Does Yuki Tsunoda see this opportunity as an audition for next year and a chance to secure a seat elsewhere?
“Well, I’ll try to do well and I’ll give 100%. Until now, I was in a position where I had to talk to teams to try to… sell myself. I have the opportunity to show what I’m capable of doing on track, so I think that’s positive.”
After months of watching Formula 1 from the sidelines and preparing for another opportunity, Yuki Tsunoda now has the chance to make his case where it matters most: on the track at Zandvoort.
