Tsunoda: 2025 was my toughest year, but I'm a better driver now

Yuki Tsunoda has described his 2025 season as the toughest of his career, revealing on the Beyond The Grid podcast how the pressure of partnering Max Verstappen at Red Bull drained him mentally. The Japanese driver lost his race seat at the end of the year, but after a mid-season return to Racing Bulls, he believes the hardship made him a better driver.

Why it matters:

Red Bull's second seat has a long history of chewing up talents. Tsunoda's candid account highlights the immense mental challenge of racing alongside Verstappen, and his eventual return shows there is life after the struggle.

The Details:

• Tsunoda was promoted to Red Bull after Liam Lawson lasted just two races, but he had never driven the RB21 before his midseason switch.
• He struggled all year, finishing 17th in the standings while Verstappen missed the world title by two points.
• He admitted on the podcast that he stopped enjoying life and driving F1 as much as he had in his first three years.
• 'Normally I'm able to reset myself, but I didn't feel that energy, it never came back,' he said.
• He sought help from psychologists, but the busy second-half schedule made it hard to recover.
• He also realized how far away from Japan he was, something he hadn't considered since F3.
• Tsunoda lost his seat for 2026, becoming a reserve driver for both Red Bull teams as Isack Hadjar was promoted and Arvid Lindblad debuted at Racing Bulls.
• After Hadjar injured his wrist, Tsunoda returned to Racing Bulls for the last three races, starting at Zandvoort.

What's next:

Tsunoda says he now feels comfortable under pressure and doubts anything will be as hard as 2025. 'I feel I have become a better driver,' he said. With a seat at Racing Bulls for the remainder of the season, he is determined to enjoy F1 again.