Tsunoda gives cryptic clue about new Red Bull role

Axed Red Bull F1 star Yuki Tsunoda has said that he believes there are 'possible scenarios' that could see him do more than simulator work in 2026.

The Japanese racing star is facing his first year out of a full-time F1 seat since joining the grid in 2021, after being axed by Red Bull and demoted down into a reserve driver role, rather than a seat with sister team Racing Bulls.

Instead, Tsunoda's former team-mate Isack Hadjar is being promoted up into the Red Bull seat after a stellar rookie year, and 18-year-old Arvid Lindblad will be at Racing Bulls next year.

Tsunoda only managed to score 30 points from 24 race weekends in 2025, despite the fact that team-mate Max Verstappen managed to win eight grands prix and challenge for the championship in the same car.

While Tsunoda will be putting in lots of simulator work to help Red Bull develop their 2026 car throughout the season, it would appear unlikely that he will be taking part in practice sessions, with Red Bull and Racing Bulls needing to fulfil their rookie driver quota using young stars.

Despite this, Tsunoda appears to be pretty upbeat about his chances of doing more than just simulator work in 2026, with the 25-year-old providing a cryptic clue about what his new role might entail.

Speaking to DAZN Japan, Tsunoda said: "There's a chance that next year I won't be focusing solely on simulator work and my role as reserve driver.

"I've heard several scenarios are possible. For now, I'm going to rest a bit and then start training for next season. I'm only 25, so there's still a lot of room for improvement.

"This is just the beginning. Perhaps it's the end of a chapter, but I'm curious to see how I can develop from here."

Will Tsunoda return to F1?

Tsunoda may be being a little optimistic when he talks about opportunities next season, but there's every chance that the Japanese racer could be back in 2027.

A plethora of drivers up and down the grid are set to be out of contract at the end of this coming season, including Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll at Aston Martin.

With Aston Martin's Honda partnership beginning in 2026, it's likely that the Japanese car manufacturers would like to see Tsunoda in one of the Aston Martin seats at some point, and he would make for a fine replacement for either Stroll or Alonso if they decide not to sign another contract.

Tsunoda may also find opportunities opening up for him at Alpine alongside former team-mate Pierre Gasly, with Franco Colapinto being given the seat for next year, but being in need of some good performances early on to avoid the axe.

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