Yuki Tsunoda has contended that his prospects of remaining on the Formula 1 grid next season with either Red Bull team depend on “what kind of line-up they want”.
Red Bull had intended to decide who will partner Max Verstappen at the senior team and who will race with sister side Racing Bulls after the previous race in Mexico.
Tsunoda has occupied the seat alongside Verstappen since replacing Liam Lawson two rounds into 2025, but, much like his predecessors, he has struggled to adapt.
But having shown progress over recent races to earn credit from his bosses, Tsunoda reckons he’s done enough to warrant another season within the Red Bull stable.
“Yeah. Like I said, I’m confident in what I’ve done and the situation I’m in,” Tsunoda told media including Motorsport Week.
“Obviously, I try to give the best as much as possible to improve myself as soon as possible and score points.
“So yeah, I just keep doing what I’m doing. It’s up to them, really. It’s what kind of team line-up they want.”
Elaborating on the source of his improvement, Tsunoda, now in his fifth campaign in the series, credited both experience and the support structure around him.
“A lot of things, I would say. I’ve been in this environment five years, and, you know, it’s just how the pressure is, things going on. And each team is different,” he explained.
The Japanese pilot admitted that his earlier weekends with Red Bull exposed weaknesses in his long-run pace, but he has insisted he has made progress in that area.
“And it’s not just set-up. Especially I was struggling quite a lot in the long run, I would say, in the beginning of the season, and now I’ve improved that, I’ve made quite a big step,” he said.
“Now, a little bit struggling to put it all together the whole weekend…
“But the most important thing is I got support a lot from the team. And Laurent – yeah, the engineers.
“Without that, I wouldn’t be here and able to improve. The tools are there, and that’s why I started to be in the right direction, I guess.”
Red Bull play the waiting game with Tsunoda for 2026
Despite his steady progress, Tsunoda knows the final call won’t be his to make.
With Red Bull evaluating options for its 2026 roster, Tsunoda finds himself in familiar territory.
“I’ve been in this Red Bull family for five years, and I know how it works here,” he acknowledged.
“I’ve been in this kind of situation pretty much every year so far. I know how it’s handled in Red Bull.
“So I just keep proving myself and maximise the opportunity.
“My most important thing is I’m very grateful for this opportunity that I’ve been given. And I just have to maximise it as much as possible. That’s the only focus I’m doing.”
READ MORE – How Red Bull ‘killing points’ for Yuki Tsunoda in Mexico GP has contributed to 2026 F1 delay
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