Yuki Tsunoda sends clear message over F1 future

Yuki Tsunoda is adamant that he wants to continue racing, ideally in F1, and does not want to go back to standing on the sidelines next year. The Red Bull reserve driver is about to embark on his third round deputising for Liam Lawson at Racing Bulls, with the New Zealander temporarily standing in for the injured Isack Hadjar. Having lost his seat at the end of last season, the 26-year-old is keen to pick up a full-time drive for 2027 after reacquiring the taste for it during his stand-in performances at Zandvoort and Monza.

Why it matters:

Tsunoda's situation highlights the brutal reality of the F1 driver market, where even a proven points-scorer can struggle to secure a seat. With Red Bull's young driver pipeline and limited openings at top teams, his path back to a full-time role is far from straightforward.

The details:

• After scoring points at Monza, Tsunoda believes he left a positive impression, but he's leaving contract talks to his manager: "I just keep all focus on my performance, and it helps with those things."
• His primary focus remains F1, but he has held talks outside the paddock, with IndyCar touted as an option.
• A return to Red Bull or Racing Bulls looks slim given the emergence of Nikola Tsolov, Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad.
• Aston Martin has been linked due to his Honda ties, but Fernando Alonso's seat may not become available, and Lance Stroll is settled.
• At Haas, Esteban Ocon is vulnerable, but Tsunoda is not believed to be in Ayao Komatsu's thinking, with Rafael Camara, Leonardo Fornaroli, Ryo Hirakawa and Jack Doohan on the shortlist.

What's next:

Tsunoda is determined not to spend another year watching from the garage. "I want to race. Especially after these three races, I know I want to race these cars. So hopefully that's in Formula 1." With his management handling negotiations, his focus remains on delivering on track.