Yuki Tsunoda, currently serving as a Red Bull test and reserve driver, feels ready to return to Formula 1 after the decision taken at the end of 2025 not to continue racing.
It was at the Suzuka circuit that Tsunoda was promoted to a full-time Red Bull driver last season, replacing Liam Lawson after just two races. Now, one year on from that home debut, the Japanese driver is once again active at the iconic track, this time in his role as a test driver for the Milton Keynes-based team during a Pirelli test for the 2027 tyres. After a championship that did not meet expectations, Tsunoda remains within the team as a third driver, with his activities mainly focused on simulator work.
The Japanese driver was the only one to lose a seat in Formula 1 at the end of the 2025 championship, but the desire to return to racing is still strong. That intention was already clear at the end of last season, when there was in fact an opportunity to continue his career elsewhere: “It’s not that I can’t race,” he told local media. “If I had wanted to race, I would have chosen to race with another team. In that sense, I chose not to race; the goal was to stay in Formula 1. I don’t feel incapable of racing at all. It was a decision made with my career in mind, so I don’t regret it.”
Tsunoda himself has clarified what his main objective will be for the near future: not only to return to Formula 1 in 2027, but to do so with the Red Bull family. “For now, I will accompany the team to the races from Friday onwards and give them advice. Working in the simulator, I can choose the days I am present and, physically, I feel better than ever. Next year I would like to race again with the team I used to race for, but this year I have enjoyed watching the races as a spectator, together with everyone else.”
Given that this is a difficult target to achieve, the Japanese driver will also need to consider other racing categories if a return to Formula 1 does not materialize. In the past, Tsunoda had already been linked with IndyCar, a championship that has welcomed other former F1 drivers such as Romain Grosjean and Mick Schumacher. Alternatively, the new Gen4 cars in Formula E are attracting increasing attention from several drivers, although Yuki Tsunoda’s priority remains firmly focused on Formula 1.
Yuki Tsunoda’s current role highlights a calculated gamble on his long-term future within the sport’s elite circle. By maintaining his technical ties to Red Bull and staying sharp through intensive simulator and tire testing programs, he aims to ensure that when the 2027 driver market begins to shift, he is positioned at the very front of the queue for a comeback.
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