Red Bull Team Boss Makes U-Turn On Yuki Tsunoda For Potential Red Bull Promotion

Saajan Jogia | Feb 2, 2025

Nov 23, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Visa Cash App RB Formula One Team driver Yuki Tsunoda of Japan (22) arrives for the Las Vegas Grand Prix drivers parade at the Las Vegas Circuit. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images / Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has made a U-turn on Yuki Tsunoda by admitting that the team is keeping a close eye on his performance should his services be needed in the future. The statement arrives months after Horner questioned the role of Tsunoda in the Red Bull junior F1 team, VCARB, suggesting that his time in the team was nearly up.

Tsunoda was recently named Red Bull's reserve driver, just weeks after being passed over for a full-time seat alongside Max Verstappen. He was evaluated alongside Liam Lawson in the second half of the 2024 season, but the Kiwi driver ultimately earned the promotion, reportedly due to his ability to perform consistently under pressure.

F2 driver Isack Hadjar has taken Lawson’s seat at VCARB and, according to Horner, is also under consideration for a future Red Bull promotion. Tsunoda’s F1 seat appears secure within the Red Bull family until the end of 2025, thanks to his ties with Honda, the engine supplier for both Red Bull and VCARB. However, with his contract expiring after this season, his long-term future with the team remains uncertain.

In December, Horner questioned Tsunoda's place in a junior team like VCARB, suggesting that his time there may come to an end after the 2025 season. He said:

“We're acutely aware that if we're not able to provide an opportunity for Yuki – being, in all honesty, this year [2025] - does it make sense [to keep him]?

“You can't have a driver in the support team for five years. You can't always be the bridesmaid.

“You've either got to let them go at that point or look at something different.”

Despite Red Bull team boss Christian Horner stressing that Verstappen and Lawson remain the team's top priorities, he acknowledged that Tsunoda is still in the mix. While not the immediate focus, the Japanese driver will be monitored closely and considered as a potential option should a replacement be needed in the future. Speaking to the media, Horner explained:

"Yuki, obviously, is in the [Red Bull driver] pool.

"Our priorities are our race drivers. But Yuki is a very talented driver, and we'll be keeping a close eye on him and Isack Hadjar as well."

While Lawson has been warned by many that being the Dutchman's teammate isn't easy, considering the high bar of expectations set in the team, Horner revealed that Lawson's goal at Red Bull in his debut season is to "Just score as many points as he possible can."