Christian Horner Drops Bombshell on Yuki Tsunoda’s....

Christian Horner Drops Bombshell on Yuki Tsunoda’s….read more

Christian Horner, the head of Red Bull Racing, has caused a stir by hinting at the possibility of Yuki Tsunoda’s exit from the team if he is not promoted to the main Red Bull squad for the 2025 Formula 1 season. Tsunoda, who has spent several years in Red Bull’s junior team, AlphaTauri (formerly Toro Rosso), is currently facing increased pressure to secure a spot with Red Bull’s senior team or risk being let go.

In an explosive statement to the media, Horner discussed the team’s approach to managing their young talent, acknowledging the importance of providing opportunities to drivers like Tsunoda. “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?” Horner stated. He emphasized that Red Bull cannot afford to keep a driver in a supporting role for too long, indicating that the team would need to make a decision about Tsunoda’s future. “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,” he added.

Tsunoda has shown considerable promise during his time at AlphaTauri, finishing ahead of notable teammates such as Nyck de Vries, Daniel Ricciardo, and Liam Lawson in recent seasons. His performances have been praised, and many expected him to be a strong contender for a seat with Red Bull. However, despite his solid performances, he has been consistently overlooked in favor of other younger drivers, such as Lawson, who was recently promoted to the main team to replace Sergio Perez.

With Lawson now part of the senior Red Bull squad, Tsunoda’s hopes of a promotion seem to be slipping away. The situation is complicated further by Red Bull’s latest decision to bring in Isack Hadjar, another promising young talent, to replace Lawson at AlphaTauri for the 2025 season. Hadjar, a rising star in the Red Bull ranks, will join Tsunoda’s AlphaTauri team in what is expected to be a crucial year for both drivers.

The competitive environment at Red Bull, with the team’s focus on grooming new talent, means that Tsunoda’s future is now in jeopardy. At 23 years old, the Japanese driver is at a crossroads in his career. If he doesn’t secure a spot with Red Bull next season, it would mark the end of his association with the team after several years in their junior program. Horner’s comments suggest that the team would not be willing to continue supporting a driver who has not been promoted to the main team after multiple seasons.

The pressure is now on Tsunoda to deliver strong performances in the 2025 season to prove he deserves a chance at the top level. If he fails to impress, Red Bull may be forced to look elsewhere for a driver to join Max Verstappen in the main team, leaving Tsunoda with difficult decisions about his future in Formula 1.

With the announcement that Isack Hadjar will join Tsunoda at AlphaTauri in 2025, the stakes have never been higher for the Japanese driver. Tsunoda must prove that he is ready for a step up, or risk being left behind as Red Bull continues to focus on developing new talent.