Honda helped play an important role in earning Yuki Tsunoda a shock call-up to the senior Red Bull Formula 1 squad.
The Japanese marque has backed Tsunoda throughout his rise to F1 and beyond, co-funding his deal at the ‘junior’ Red Bull squad until his most recent contract extension.
Moreover, it was at Honda’s behest to push Red Bull into granting Tsunoda the Abu Dhabi post-season test run in the RB20, his first test of any kind with the Milton Keynes-based outfit.
However, with Red Bull set to part ways with Honda at the end of 2025 and the team initially opting for Liam Lawson to partner Max Verstappen in 2025, the dynamic started to shift.
In an interview with the Japanese arm of Motorsport.com, Honda Racing Corporation President Koji Watanabe said that Tsunoda “needs to take action himself. “He’s now in his fifth year, has the ability, and understands the world of F1 well.
“There’s not much more we can do for him. He needs to solidify his support team, including his manager, and secure the necessary seat. He is a professional, after all.”
In an earlier press conference, Watanabe had stated that Tsunoda remained in a “sponsorship agreement” with Honda.
However, with Liam Lawson enduring a torrid start to the 2025 campaign, rumours gathered pace in Shanghai that Red Bull was planning a ruthless early swap in time for the Japanese Grand Prix.
De Limburger reported that Honda was prepared to pay Red Bull millions to grant Tsunoda a drive and no doubt the Japanese marque sensed an opportunity with Lawson’s future in the balance.
Despite suggesting Tsunoda was on his own, Honda was keen to support the Japanese driver wherever his future lay, even with an Aston Martin works engine deal looming in 2026.
Honda ‘delighted’ by Yuki Tsunoda Red Bull promotion
The optics for Honda are very clear with the Japanese GP next up on the F1 calendar, the marque’s home race, and of course, Tsunoda’s.
Honda owns the Suzuka circuit also so the swap is a win-win for the manufacturer/driver partnership, bringing to an end a five-year journey to bring Tsunoda to the Red Bull outfit.
THE RUMOUR: Yuki Tsunoda set to replace Liam Lawson at Red Bull – report
THE CONFIRMATION: Red Bull confirms Yuki Tsunoda swap with Liam Lawson from F1 Japanese GP
“We are delighted that Yuki Tsunoda, a graduate of Honda’s driver development program, has made great progress in his fifth year as an F1 driver and will be racing for Oracle Red Bull Racing, one of the strongest teams in F1,” Watanabe said on Thursday.
“We look forward to his future success.”
Tsunoda’s Japanese homecoming will commence with a Red Bull show run in Tokyo next Wednesday, just days before he jumps into the RB21 for his first practice session.
Whether Tsunoda can thrive where Lawson faltered remains to be seen, given the long-documented struggles of drivers in the second Red Bull seat, but Tsunoda himself is adamant that its the faster car in comparison to the VCARB 02.
As well as this, Tsunoda wasn’t alarmed by his RB20 testing outing in Abu Dhabi, telling the media in Shanghai that “he didn’t feel that” the car was difficult to drive.
If that is the case, and Tsunoda can deliver on the task set to him by Red Bull, he could end a 13-year wait for a Japanese driver on an F1 podium.
That was Kamui Kobayashi, at Suzuka of all places…
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