BREAKING: Yuki Tsunoda Reflects on Missed Red Bull O…read more
BREAKING: Yuki Tsunoda Reflects on Missed Red Bull O…read more
Tsunoda Relates to Liam Lawson’s Setback
Yuki Tsunoda has looked back on a seat fitting session with Red Bull at the end of last year that ultimately led nowhere. The Japanese driver, who participated in Red Bull’s 2024 postseason testing, was initially passed over in favor of Liam Lawson.
However, after just two races in the 2025 season, Tsunoda has now been promoted to Red Bull’s main team, while Lawson has been reassigned to Racing Bulls. At the time, Tsunoda believed his chance had slipped away for good.
“Even when I was a reserve driver for Red Bull Racing, I did a seat fitting before Bahrain testing,” Tsunoda recalled.
“Maybe about 10 percent of me was wondering, ‘Why am I even doing this seat fitting?’
“You know what I mean? I felt like the end of last season was my best chance and the closest I had ever been in my career. When it didn’t happen, it was quite a shock.”
After Lawson’s struggles in Australia and China with the tricky RB21, Red Bull opted for another driver switch.
Tsunoda is set to make his debut for the senior team at the F1 Japanese Grand Prix an especially meaningful event as it marks Honda’s final race at Suzuka with Red Bull.
Drawing a comparison between his previous disappointment and Lawson’s current challenge, Tsunoda acknowledged how tough it was to accept missing out on a Red Bull seat last year.
“It wasn’t easy at the end of last season,” the Japanese driver admitted.
“But he gave it his all.
“We also did our best last year and still didn’t secure the Red Bull spot. That’s just how it is, and I had to accept it.
“I have no doubt he’ll come back stronger. RB is in good shape right now, and the people there are fantastic and very supportive.
“I hope Liam finds his form again, and if all four Red Bull cars can compete in the top 10, that would be the ideal scenario. We all need to bounce back strongly.”
