Any hope for Tsunoda? – At the Italian Grand Prix in Monza, Yuki Tsunoda once again left empty-handed, adding another disappointing chapter to his tense audition for a future in Formula 1. The Japanese driver, whose Red Bull-backed career has long been under scrutiny, finished only 13th after colliding with his former teammate, Liam Lawson.
This result did little to strengthen his case for a contract extension. Yet, surprisingly, his team boss, Laurent Mekies, took a more forgiving stance.
Tsunoda’s struggles on race day
The Monza weekend had begun with flashes of encouragement, but Tsunoda’s race quickly unravelled. The decisive moment came when he collided with Lawson, also part of the Red Bull driver pool. The incident left his Racing Bulls car with underbody damage, which hampered its performance and prevented any late-race recovery. Chief advisor Helmut Marko was scathing in his criticism of the collision with Lawson, branding it “absolutely stupid”. With his contract due to expire at the end of the season, this seemed like another missed opportunity to secure his place on the grid.
This is not an unfamiliar storyline for Tsunoda. Since making his debut with AlphaTauri in 2021, the Japanese driver has demonstrated bursts of speed and aggression, but has struggled to maintain consistency. Now, in his fourth full season, he is not only fighting rivals on the track, but also the rising tide of Red Bull’s next generation, who are eager to take his place.
Mekies offers a measured defence
Despite the outcome, team principal Laurent Mekies suggested that Monza was not a fair reflection of Tsunoda’s abilities. According to Mekies, the Japanese driver’s race was compromised from the outset. “We need clear race samples,” he explained. “At the front, the races are very clear; you get at least one good stint to gauge your performance.” However, for Tsunoda, a first stint spent in heavy traffic and a second stint ruined by damage left little to evaluate.
Instead, Mekies pointed to qualifying as evidence of Tsunoda’s progress. Although he ultimately fell short of the pole contenders, his early pace impressed the Frenchman. ‘He was within two-tenths of Max in Q1, and Max hasn’t exactly been slow this weekend,’ Mekies noted, referencing Verstappen’s dominant form. Even in Q2, Tsunoda remained close. Although the gap widened to seven tenths in Q3, simply making the final shootout was enough for Mekies to deem it a “good performance”.
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The qualifying picture
For Tsunoda, qualifying has often been both a showcase and a source of frustration. On his day, he can deliver the raw one-lap pace needed to put him in the midfield fight. At Monza, that ability was evident. Running close to Verstappen in the early sessions was no mean feat, given the relentless pace of the Dutchman and the limitations of the Racing Bulls car.
This detail was not lost on observers, since Tsunoda has often been criticised for erratic performances in qualifying. Earlier in his career, he frequently lost grid positions due to mistakes under pressure. However, in 2024, there have been signs of a more composed approach. At circuits such as Imola and Montreal, Tsunoda has consistently reached Q3, securing valuable starting positions, although Sunday results have not always matched expectations.
Red Bull’s looming driver decisions
The Monza weekend unfolded against the backdrop of Red Bull’s broader driver puzzle. By the end of October, the organisation is expected to finalise three of its four Formula 1 seats for 2025, leaving Tsunoda with little time to prove his worth. With Verstappen confirmed as the centrepiece, the focus is on who will partner him and how the Racing Bulls line-up will be shaped.
Rookie Isack Hadjar, a Red Bull Junior Team graduate, is tipped to take the second Red Bull seat alongside Verstappen in 2026. Meanwhile, Arvid Lindblad’s rapid rise at Racing Bulls has put him in line for a future promotion. Liam Lawson, who impressed during his substitute appearances in 2023 and has maintained strong form in junior categories, is also considered a frontrunner for a full-time drive. Against this backdrop of youthful talent, Tsunoda’s experience is both an asset and a potential liability.
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The weight of Red Bull history
Tsunoda’s situation mirrors a familiar Red Bull narrative. The energy drink-backed programme has a history of rapidly promoting young talent, often at the expense of more experienced drivers. Examples include Daniil Kvyat’s abrupt demotion in 2016 and Pierre Gasly’s mid-season replacement in 2019. The system has little patience for stagnation. Tsunoda, aged 25, is no longer the fresh prospect he once was, and in Red Bull terms, this alone can be a disadvantage.
Yet Tsunoda also has qualities that cannot be fully captured by numbers. As Japan’s first full-time Formula 1 driver since Kamui Kobayashi, he represents a significant commercial opportunity for Honda, Red Bull’s long-term partner. With Honda set to return as Aston Martin’s works supplier from 2026, the Japanese connection also has political implications.
Implications for the season
Looking beyond Monza, Tsunoda’s future may hinge on his ability to consistently score points. The Italian Grand Prix was a missed opportunity, but upcoming rounds at circuits such as Singapore could present chances for redemption.
If Tsunoda rediscovers form in the final third of the season, he could convince Red Bull to extend his contract. Conversely, if he continues to perform inconsistently, the team may decide that his time has run out, paving the way for a new era of talent.
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From neutral analysis to cautious satire
The irony of Monza is that Tsunoda left with little to show for his efforts yet received more praise than on some weekends when he actually scored points. Laurent Mekies’ measured and diplomatic comments stood in stark contrast to Helmut Marko’s blunt criticism. One could almost imagine Tsunoda clinging to Mekies’ kind words like a lifebuoy while Marko stood on the shore, reminding him that the tide waits for no one.
Whether this was genuine encouragement or simply the team softening the optics of an awkward weekend is open to interpretation. In Formula 1, public praise can be as much about managing narratives as reflecting reality. For Tsunoda, though, it offers at least a glimmer of hope: a reminder that, in a system as unforgiving as Red Bull’s, perception sometimes matters as much as results.
The final laps of Tsunoda’s audition
As the season heads into its decisive phase, Tsunoda’s story is one of urgency. The remaining races are not just about scoring points; they are about proving his relevance in a driver programme that rarely grants second chances. His flashes of speed, combative spirit and resilience must all come together to create a series of performances that will make him indispensable.
In Monza, he was not favoured by the numbers, but the narrative remains unwritten. If he can combine the promise of qualifying with consistent race execution, Tsunoda may yet secure his place in Formula 1. Otherwise, Monza may be remembered as another step towards the exit door, softened only by Laurent Mekies’ generous assessment.
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In the latest twist in the ever-changing world of Formula 1, Mercedes has prevented newcomer Cadillac from accelerating its debut programme with star signing Valtteri Bottas. The Finnish driver, who is set to partner Sergio Pérez when the American squad joins the grid, has been prevented from testing with his new team ahead of the 2026 season.
According to reports from GP Blog, Cadillac had hoped to integrate Bottas into its operations early on, but Mercedes has shut down this idea. The Silver Arrows, who still hold Bottas under contract as a reserve driver, are said to have vetoed any chance of him sampling a Cadillac in advance. Bottas himself, perhaps with one eye on contractual obligations and another on future goodwill, appears to have agreed with the decision of the Stuttgart-based team.
This leaves Cadillac with a small conundrum. While they are permitted to conduct limited mileage in an older Formula 1 car under the Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) regulations, their first-choice driver cannot participate. Instead, the US outfit must rely on alternative options, with Sergio Pérez and Colton Herta set to shoulder the early workload…READ MORE ON THIS STORY
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His fate is pretty much sealed, with VER-HAD & LAW-LIN indeed the most likely 2026 lineups.
In the last race, he may have ended in traffic due to a relatively early pit stop timing, but the car damage was all on him for moving under braking against Lawson.
All things considered, both sporting & external factors, zero justification in keeping him beyond this season’s end anymore & staying put at RBR is his only option, albeit only if Lindblad were to continue in F2, i.e., his career continuation is reliant on both lineups remaining unchanged.
Btw, he’s competing in his fifth season in F1, he’s 25, & the Japanese GP was run in April.
Quite right 👍