Red Bull F1 star Yuki Tsunoda left abandoned at airport

Red Bull Racing

Ditched by Red Bull already? Yuki Tsunoda left abandoned at airport

Yuki Tsunoda has not had a good start to the Brazilian GP race week

By Brian Van Hinthum.

Wednesday 5 November 2025 22:42

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Yuki Tsunoda is under mounting pressure at Red Bull as he fights to secure his seat for 2026.

His performance in the upcoming Brazilian Grand Prix weekend will be key, but his start in the country hasn’t begun smoothly.

The Japanese driver has proven his worth over the past few years. In 2022, he matched the level of Pierre Gasly, and in 2023 he kept Nyck de Vries well at bay.

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Even in 2024, he finished with more points than both Daniel Ricciardo and Liam Lawson. Despite Lawson’s promotion to the Red Bull team—a move that stirred quite a bit of controversy—the pressure is now firmly on Tsunoda as 2026 approaches and no final decision has been made on his F1 future.

Tsunoda forgotten?

It’s critical for Tsunoda to close out the season on a strong note. However, his start in Brazil did little to inspire confidence, as it appeared the team had left him on his own.

A fan at Sao Paulo’s airport witnessed Tsunoda wandering the arrivals hall, seemingly unsure of where to go. For a long while, he struggled to find a team member or chauffeur to escort him to the hotel.

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Tsunoda enters the weekend looking to try and add to his points tally of just 28 that leave him in 17th place in the constructors' championship, while team-mate Max Verstappen is still looking to claim the title.

Tsunoda enjoyed a positive US Grand Prix where he finished in seventh place in the sprint and the race, but endured a worse performance last time out in Mexico when he could only finish in 11th.

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Brian Van Hinthum - Formule 1-redacteur & verslaggever

Brian van Hinthum is Formule 1-redacteur en verslaggever bij GPFans. Sinds 2021 volgt hij de sport dagelijks en schrijft hij over nieuws, analyses en ontwikkelingen binnen de paddock. Als geaccrediteerd journalist is hij regelmatig aanwezig op het circuit tijdens Grand Prix-weekenden.

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F1 Red Bull Yuki Tsunoda