Yuki Tsunoda warned by Helmut Marko – here’s when Red Bull will decide his future. Yuki Tsunoda’s future at Red Bull is uncertain.

The future of Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda within the Red Bull Racing stable appears increasingly uncertain, with clear words coming from Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko signaling that Tsunoda’s position is far from guaranteed.

Once again, Tsunoda failed to score points over the recent race weekend. To be fair, on this occasion the young Japanese driver was not dramatically slower than teammate Max Verstappen. The Dutch world champion managed only ninth place in the race, while Tsunoda finished just ahead of the two Alpine drivers. Nonetheless, Helmut Marko made no secret of his concerns about Tsunoda’s place in the team, suggesting the situation is far from ideal.

Tsunoda was brought in mid-season to replace Liam Lawson at the Japanese Grand Prix but has struggled to impress consistently since joining Red Bull’s senior outfit. It seems increasingly evident that the issue is not solely the driver himself, but rather a combination of factors that make the coveted second Red Bull seat difficult for anyone to fill. In the last race, Red Bull’s junior team, known as the Racing Bulls, even outperformed Max Verstappen with their New Zealand driver.

Helmut Marko’s clear warning

The outspoken Austrian executive is famous for his blunt and candid assessments. This time, Helmut Marko left no room for misinterpretation when he described the team’s internal hierarchy. He reiterated what Tsunoda must do to remain at Red Bull, also revealing when a decision about his future will be taken.

“It’s known that anyone driving alongside Max Verstappen must stop trying to beat him. They should instead focus on extracting the best out of themselves and the team. Beating Max is currently impossible,” Marko said during an interview with F1-Insider.

The uncertain future for Yuki Tsunoda

With the Formula 1 season now past the halfway point, attention is turning to next year’s driver line-ups. Cadillac’s entry into the sport will bring two new drivers, while the situation between Verstappen and Mercedes appears postponed until 2026. Among the drivers most at risk of losing their seats is Tsunoda, who could be replaced by French driver Isack Hadjar.

“We usually evaluate our drivers after the summer break. Right now, all options are open. We are monitoring performance, both positive and negative,” Helmut Marko admitted. His words imply that a decision on Yuki Tsunoda will be made soon and that the races following the summer pause could be decisive.

Given Yuki Tsunoda’s underwhelming performance so far this season, it remains unlikely that he will keep his seat. Although not all the blame falls on the Japanese driver, the rising star Hadjar is impressing. There has also been talk of Frederik Lindblad possibly replacing Hadjar in the Racing Bulls team. In such a scenario, Tsunoda would find himself without a place, and it will be difficult to find a free seat for him in Formula 1 next year.