Red Bull F1 chiefs hold key Yuki Tsunoda meeting after poor results

Photo: © IMAGO

Red Bull

Red Bull chiefs hold key Yuki Tsunoda meeting after poor results

Yuki Tsunoda's F1 future is in doubt

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Tuesday 30 September 2025 11:58

Red Bull chiefs Helmut Marko and Laurent Mekies have confirmed key meetings concerning Yuki Tsunoda after his poor F1 results in 2025.

The Japanese driver has only managed a points finish in five grands prix with Red Bull and currently sits P17 in the standings, below both Racing Bulls drivers.

Tsunoda produced a season best result in Baku however, where he crossed the finish line in sixth, but doubt still lingers over his F1 future.

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Isack Hadjar is the favourite to replace Tsunoda at Red Bull, but the 25-year-old could be offered a lifeline in the sport via a return to Racing Bulls.

Will Red Bull retain Tsunoda?

Red Bull bosses Marko and Mekies revealed they held meetings with Tsunoda, and the 82-year-old claimed the team are changing their approach in regards to the driver.

“We sat down after the race in Monza – Tsunoda was sometimes a second slower than Max in the race – and decided on a different approach,” Marko told Sky Germany.

“Simply put, you have to coach him more because of the less experience compared to Max. We have set up the car more according to his wishes.”

Meanwhile, Mekies celebrated Tsunoda’s result in Baku, but made no mention of what his future entails.

“I think it’s his best race with us this year,” Mekies said to the media after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

“I think he was strong yesterday in qualifying. He was very strong in the race. The clever guys will get the number right, but he was sometimes two, sometimes three, sometimes four-tenths away from Max, and Max was pulling away from everyone with that pace, so it was a very, very serious pace.

“We thought he would have to defend very hard against McLaren and Ferrari to help with Max chasing the win, and he didn’t have to defend. He was actually there on merit, and Lando stayed behind him and didn’t put much pressure on him.

“So, it’s his best, not only result, but also race pace with us. And you’re right, it was really the one thing that was the most important for us to get that. I’m very happy for him.”

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