Axed F1 star Yuki Tsunoda linked with stunning swap after McLaren driver signing

Credit for photo: Red Bull Content Pool — Photo: © IMAGO

Yuki Tsunoda

Axed F1 star Yuki Tsunoda linked with stunning swap after McLaren driver signing

This would be a fascinating move!

Simmey Hannifin Donaldson F1 Editor

Motorsport journalist covering F1 since 2024

Monday 17 August 2026 21:30

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Former Red Bull F1 star Yuki Tsunoda has been linked with a stunning switch to IndyCar after losing his spot on the grid last season, replacing a driver who has been poached by McLaren.

Tsunoda came through the ranks of the Red Bull academy during the time that the team was partnered with Honda, first racing full-time in F1 at AlphaTauri (now Racing Bulls) in 2021.

Tsunoda would remain at Red Bull's junior outfit through to the start of the 2025 campaign, when Christian Horner and company decided it was time to draft him in alongside Max Verstappen at the senior team after just two races following Liam Lawson's struggles.

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Tsunoda didn't fare much better than many of his predecessors, scoring points at just seven grands prix as a Red Bull driver and losing his seat to Isack Hadjar ahead of the 2026 season.

Yuki Tsunoda linked with move to IndyCar

Tsunoda currently remains in the Red Bull stable, serving as the test and reserve driver for both their senior and junior team, but now he has been linked with a full-time return to the cockpit.

According to Motorsport.com, the Japanese driver is vying for a drive in IndyCar, namely the No. 66 at Meyer Shank Racing.

Meyer Shank Racing currently runs with Honda engines, and the team are set to have a vacancy in their No. 66 heading into 2027.

Marcus Armstrong currently pilots that car, but he is set to move into the No. 60 next year, replacing the outgoing Felix Rosenqvist, who has signed a multi-year deal with McLaren's IndyCar outfit.

Tsunoda has also previously been linked with a return to the F1 grid in recent months, with Haas reportedly one team considering him as an option for next season.

Nothing has come of that yet, though, and this latest link could offer him a chance to get back on a race track and show what he can do in a full-time capacity.

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F1 Red Bull Yuki Tsunoda IndyCar