Helmut Marko confirms decision surrounding Yuki Tsunoda's Red Bull F1 future

Red Bull are yet to announce their 2026 driver lineup

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Accredited motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Monday 20 October 2025 10:55 Updated: 11:58

Red Bull F1 chief Helmut Marko has confirmed when a decision will be made regarding Yuki Tsunoda’s future.

The Japanese racer is on borrowed time at Red Bull, after a miserable campaign following his promotion in March.

Tsunoda has only managed to score points in six grands prix across the 2025 season, including Sunday's race in the US, with Red Bull, and languishes a miserable 278 points behind team-mate Max Verstappen in the drivers’ standings.

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Each grand prix until the end of the season is a fight to remain in F1, with Tsunoda putting on a spectacular show during Saturday's sprint at the US Grand Prix to climb from P18 to seventh.

Speaking to Sky Sports in Austin, Marko was asked about Tsunoda’s future, and confirmed a decision would be made after the Mexican GP.

“We said we would make the decision after the Mexican Grand Prix. So let’s leave it at that, please,” he said.

Will Tsunoda remain at Red Bull?

Following an impressive rookie season, Racing Bulls driver Isack Hadjar has been tipped to replace Tsunoda at Red Bull, with the French driver achieving a podium finish at Zandvoort.

A demotion back down to the sister team is not a certainty for Tsunoda, if he does lose his Red Bull seat, with more young drivers waiting in the background.

Since parting ways with McLaren, F2 superstar Alex Dunne has been named as a driver of interest by Marko and Red Bull, alongside British racer Arvid Lindblad.

The 2026 season will be the first of the new regulations, with changes not only transforming the engine but also the design of the cars.

According to Sky Sports’ Ted Kravitz, Racing Bulls team principal Alan Permane claimed that next year would not be the best time to take a gamble on a rookie driver, with Tsunoda’s experience a valuable lifeline for his F1 career.

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