Tsunoda's 2025 Regret: Missing Out on 'Pretty Good' Racing Bulls Car

Yuki Tsunoda's 2025 season took a dramatic turn that left him with one major regret: leaving behind a competitive Racing Bulls car he helped develop, only to struggle at the senior Red Bull team. The Japanese driver scored just 30 points after his mid-season promotion, finishing a distant 17th in the championship.

Why it matters:

Tsunoda's experience highlights the complex dynamics within driver development programs, where moving to a theoretically faster car doesn't guarantee success. His emotional connection to the Racing Bulls project—calling it his "baby"—contrasts sharply with his disappointing results at Red Bull, raising questions about driver-car compatibility and the pressure of sudden promotions.

The details:

• Tsunoda started 2025 strongly at Racing Bulls, securing a P6 finish in the Chinese Grand Prix sprint race and showing promising pace.
• After just two races, he replaced the struggling Liam Lawson at Red Bull, a move that backfired as his performance dropped significantly.
• The driver scored only 30 points with Red Bull compared to his earlier form, contributing to the team's disappointing P17 finish in the Constructors' Championship.
• Tsunoda expressed particular regret about abandoning the Racing Bulls car he helped develop under the current regulations, noting "there is my DNA inside it."

What's next:

The disappointing season has reshaped Tsunoda's immediate future in Formula 1. For 2026, he'll serve as Red Bull's reserve driver while Isack Hadjar gets promoted from Racing Bulls to partner Max Verstappen. At Racing Bulls, Liam Lawson retains his seat and will be joined by F1 rookie Arvid Lindblad, leaving Tsunoda without a race seat despite his experience with both teams.