Yuki Tsunoda Reflects on Losing Red Bull Seat as Isack Hadjar Set to Replace Him

Posted : 05 December 2025

Yuki Tsunoda has expressed mixed emotions after learning he will lose his Red Bull seat alongside four-time champion Max Verstappen next season. The Japanese driver will transition into a test and reserve role in 2026, with Franco-Algerian rookie Isack Hadjar taking his place from sister team Racing Bulls.

Speaking at Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit ahead of the season finale, Tsunoda admitted he was “disappointed” but also “okay” with the decision. “The day after, I ordered breakfast as usual, same food… I probably didn’t fully realise that it would be my last race in this seat at least for next year,” he said. “Maybe I’ll feel more after Abu Dhabi, but that’s how it went and how I feel now.”

Tsunoda, 25, began the season as Hadjar’s teammate at Racing Bulls and was promoted to the senior Red Bull team two races in, after Liam Lawson failed to score points. Despite the move, he has struggled to match Verstappen’s dominance. The Dutch champion has won seven races and accumulated 396 points this season, compared with Tsunoda’s 33, only slightly higher than his total from last year.

The Japanese driver, backed by Honda, said his main regret is not fully maximising the Racing Bulls car, which he helped develop and found more forgiving than the Red Bull. “But at the same time, I don’t regret much about moving to the senior team,” he added. Tsunoda is the latest driver to be overshadowed by Verstappen, with the second Red Bull seat often described as a “poisoned chalice.”

Hadjar, who has impressed in his rookie campaign, will become Verstappen’s fourth different teammate since the end of the 2024 season. However, he remains confident about adapting to the challenge, especially with next year’s radical car changes. “We’re going to get the car we have. I have to adapt to it, and Max will have to do the same,” Hadjar said. “I’ve competed in different cars every year, so I’m used to adapting. I’m confident.”

Meanwhile, Hadjar’s seat at Racing Bulls will be filled by rookie Arvid Lindblad, continuing the reshuffle of Red Bull-affiliated teams as Honda departs to supply Aston Martin power units next season.

Yuki Tsunoda Reflects on Losing Red Bull Seat as Isack Hadjar Set to Replace Him

ADD A COMMENT :

Hot Topics