JUST IN : Tsunoda’s Ricciardo change revealed as Red Bull confirm LEGENDARY return…Read more

Yuki Tsunoda, recently promoted to Red Bull’s senior Formula 1 team, has revealed how a past interaction with Daniel Ricciardo influenced a major shift in his professional attitude. Tsunoda and Ricciardo were once teammates at Racing Bulls, Red Bull’s junior team, before Ricciardo was abruptly dropped mid-2024 in favor of Liam Lawson.

For the rest of the season, Tsunoda and Lawson competed closely. Despite Tsunoda’s four years of F1 experience, it was Lawson who secured the highly coveted second Red Bull seat alongside Max Verstappen, replacing Sergio Perez for the 2025 season.

However, that decision has since proven problematic for Red Bull management, including Christian Horner and Helmut Marko. As a result, another controversial driver swap was orchestrated, demoting Lawson back to Racing Bulls and granting Tsunoda his long-awaited opportunity to partner Verstappen in the main Red Bull team.

Tsunoda has long been recognized for his fiery personality, often known for using harsh language over team radio. A prime example of this occurred during the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix, where Tsunoda and Ricciardo were instructed to swap positions to allow Ricciardo—who was on fresh soft tires—a chance at scoring points. Unfortunately, neither driver finished in the top 10, and as they returned to the pits, Tsunoda aggressively divebombed Ricciardo before sarcastically thanking his team over the radio: “Yeah thanks guys… I appreciate it.”

Reflecting on that moment, Tsunoda now admits that the incident in Bahrain was a turning point in his career, making him realize the need to control his emotions if he wanted to advance in Formula 1.

In a recent interview with The Independent, Tsunoda shared his evolving perspective: “I never thought controlling my emotions was key to my success—it was just my natural character. My mindset used to be about releasing stress on the track and then refocusing afterward. But F1 today is more political, with increased sponsor involvement. Teams prefer drivers who provide clear feedback rather than those who vent their frustrations.”

Recognizing the necessity for change, Tsunoda has actively worked on improving his emotional control and overall approach to racing. “What happened with Daniel in Bahrain last year made me rethink my behavior. If I hadn’t adjusted my attitude, I probably wouldn’t still be in F1. This has been an area I’ve put significant effort into improving, and it has helped me adopt a more serious mindset,” he added.

Since making these adjustments, Tsunoda has demonstrated impressive maturity, catching the attention of Helmut Marko and the Red Bull leadership. His promising start to the 2025 season, coupled with a new management team, has reinforced the belief that he is now ready to step up and compete alongside Verstappen.

With this newfound focus and a seat at one of F1’s most dominant teams, Tsunoda is eager to prove himself at the highest level of motorsport, determined to leave behind his fiery past and cement his place as a top-tier drivers