Red Bull has addressed speculation surrounding Yuki Tsunoda’s future, amid weeks of rumours suggesting a mid-season change to the team’s driver line-up. Speaking ahead of the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, team principal Laurent Mekies confirmed that Tsunoda will remain alongside Max Verstappen until the end of the 2025 campaign.
This assurance comes after Tsunoda’s performances have come under increasing scrutiny since his promotion from sister team Racing Bulls earlier this year. With Red Bull’s driver pool deeper than ever and Isack Hadjar impressing in his rookie campaign, many had questioned Tsunoda’s position. However, Mekies has now provided clarity, signalling that no further changes will be made during the current season.
The rise and stall of Tsunoda’s Red Bull career
Tsunoda’s path to the top seat has been anything but straightforward. He started 2025 with Racing Bulls, but was moved to the senior Red Bull team after only two rounds. This forced Liam Lawson, who had started the year as Verstappen’s teammate, to return to the sister outfit. It was hoped that Tsunoda’s added experience would bring stability, but his performances have been inconsistent at best.
In 13 starts for Red Bull this season, he has only managed to score nine points. His best results were ninth-place finishes in Bahrain and Zandvoort. By comparison, Haddad has exceeded all expectations. The 20-year-old Frenchman sits tenth in the drivers’ standings with 37 points, and his highlight was a podium finish at the Dutch Grand Prix. Finishing behind Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen in that race cemented his growing reputation and reignited talk of a possible call-up to the senior team before the end of the year.
This is a rookie’s breakthrough against the odds
Hadjar’s results have commanded attention. He has consistently scored points, demonstrated speed in qualifying and delivered when it mattered most. His Zandvoort podium finish was symbolic, confirming that Red Bull’s development system continues to produce drivers capable of competing at the highest level.
In contrast, Tsunoda’s results have struggled to reach the same standard, leaving his long-term future in doubt.
Tsunoda is under pressure from within
His struggles are particularly stark when contrasted with the broader strength of Red Bull’s development system. Meanwhile, Lawson has also achieved points finishes since returning to Racing Bulls, and Hadjar has quickly emerged as one of the most promising drivers of the new generation. This breadth of options makes it clear that Red Bull has significant leverage in shaping its line-ups for the coming years.
Mekies backs Tsunoda, but with caveats:
However, Mekies has publicly defended Tsunoda, pointing to signs of improvement. “Yuki has made good progress in the last three races. We all want more, but he’s doing a decent job,” he told reporters in Monza. He highlighted Tsunoda’s return to the points at Zandvoort, his close showing relative to Verstappen in Budapest, and his best qualifying performance with the team at Spa. For Mekies, these are signs that Tsunoda is beginning to adapt to the pressure of racing alongside a three-time world champion.
A decision delayed, not denied.
It is a perspective rooted in patience rather than reaction. Mekies knows both Haddad and Tsunoda well from his time at the helm of Racing Bulls prior to Christian Horner’s departure from Red Bull. While he has not revealed the team’s longer-term plans, he admitted that decisions on the 2026 line-up can wait. ‘We’re very relaxed about the driver issue because we at Red Bull hold all the cards and can take a few more weeks, or even months, to decide. We have enough drivers in the programme to cover several scenarios for next year, and we have no real reason to rush the decision.’
Honda’s exit and Tsunoda’s uncertain future
Behind the scenes, there are still doubts about Tsunoda’s future with the organisation. Honda, his long-time backer, will not continue as Red Bull’s engine partner beyond 2025, which could reduce the team’s motivation to keep him on. While Tsunoda’s presence provides experience and continuity, his results have not yet matched the expectations that come with a Red Bull seat.
For Hadjar, however, the picture is very different. His speed, consistency and ability to deliver under pressure have made him one of the standout stories of the 2025 season. His rookie podium at Zandvoort resonated across the paddock, demonstrating that Red Bull’s development pipeline continues to produce genuine talent capable of stepping up at short notice. Lawson remains in contention too, though his opportunities appear more limited given Hadjar’s rise.
All eyes are on Monza and beyond
As the championship moves deeper into its European phase, the spotlight will remain firmly on Tsunoda. Every qualifying session and every race is another chance to prove that he belongs in the same garage as Verstappen. Mekies has bought him time with his public vote of confidence, but in a team where standards are unforgivingly high, there is little room for underperformance.
For Red Bull, the broader picture remains enviable. The depth of its driver roster enables the team to consider various strategies for 2026 and beyond without feeling pressured to make hasty decisions. In a sport where securing the right combination of talent and experience is crucial, Red Bull’s ability to play the long game puts them in a strong position that few rivals can match.
However, as the season progresses, the dynamics may change. If Tsunoda can translate his occasional successes into consistent results, he may earn a reprieve. If Haddad continues to excel, the clamour for his promotion will become harder to ignore. And if Lawson can demonstrate resilience and growth, he could be given another opportunity at the top.
Ultimately, Mekies’ message is one of stability, but also of watchful evaluation. Red Bull is not ready to make another mid-season switch, but the competition within its own team is intensifying. The Italian Grand Prix weekend may put an end to the speculation for now, but the story of Red Bull’s 2026 driver pairing will remain one of the key narratives to follow as the campaign continues.
Has Red Bull been right to keep faith with Tsunoda for the rest of 2025, or is this merely postponing Hadjar’s inevitable promotion to the senior team?
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