Yuki Tsunoda is heading into his fifth Formula 1 season with Racing Bulls (RB), and despite being overlooked for a coveted seat at Red Bull Racing, he insists his ultimate goal hasn’t changed: he still wants that Red Bull drive.
Speaking candidly ahead of the 2025 season opener to Motorsport.com, Tsunoda admitted he was “surprised” by Red Bull’s choice to favor Liam Lawson, even after Tsunoda outperformed several teammates in recent years — including Nyck de Vries, Daniel Ricciardo, and Lawson himself.
When presented with a Matrix-inspired metaphor, whether he would choose the safe “blue pill” to remain in Faenza with Racing Bulls or the risky “red pill” to take a shot at Red Bull, Tsunoda didn’t hesitate: “100 percent, red.”
While trying to keep composed about Red Bull’s decision, Tsunoda shared: “I still want that [Red Bull] seat at some point. But the decision they made, it’s up to them, not me.”
Tsunoda’s Clear Focus at Racing Bulls
Reflecting on how he learned of Red Bull’s decision, though he didn’t push for reasons, Tsunoda suspects politics may have played a role.
“I had, like, three calls from Helmut [Marko], Christian [Horner], and Laurent [Mekies]. First was Helmut, I guess. So, yeah, I heard the final decision from them,” Tsunoda said.
More from the Singapore GP
Catch up with Total Motorsport's latest Singapore GP coverage, including Max Verstappen's victory at Marina Bay, Ferrari's costly strategy gamble, the full race classification, and the updated 2026 Formula 1 Drivers' and Constructors' Championship standings.
“Christian mentioned that it’s not about performance. From what I heard from other people, they’re saying it’s not performance-related. It’s more like a political [decision].
“To be honest, I’m now – surprisingly, even for myself – mentally in quite a similar place to where I was last year coming into the new season. Really focused on our team, what we’re currently working on, how the car works.”
With Daniel Ricciardo no longer in the team, Tsunoda sees a leadership opportunity in 2025, but it’s clear the Japanese driver feels overlooked.
“This year, there’s no other experienced driver in the team, so for sure, the team will rely on me more,” Tsunoda went on. “It feels like there’s more responsibility. I want to help, not just in terms of extracting performance from the car, but in guiding the team’s overall direction.
“Like, I was never really the first contender [for the seat]. It was always some other driver. So in those situations, yeah, I was definitely frustrated.”
Adding to that, Helmut Marko noted that mental strength was a factor: “Around Mexico, Yuki unfortunately had his two accidents, and at the time, Liam did very well. So we looked at all the facts.”
As Tsunoda gears up for the new season, his mission in 2025 is clear – focus is on becoming a team leader, delivering results, and proving he deserves a shot at Red Bull. Whether that will be enough to unseat Lawson remains to be seen — but Tsunoda is determined to make his case on track.
