Formula 1 can be a brutal sport and with just 20 seats on the grid – which is set to expand to 22 with the potential introduction of Cadillac in 2026 – it sometimes takes more than just skill for a driver to retain their seat.
The 2025 F1 grid has been confirmed, and as well as several new drivers being handed their first full seasons, many more established stars decided to try their luck with new teams.
All eyes are on the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz who will be racing for Ferrari and Williams respectively this year.
However, Mercedes, Red Bull, Sauber, Racing Bulls, Alpine and Haas all took gambles on drivers who have yet to complete a full Formula 1 season.
While this represents a risk, it also highlights the changing feelings within the teams that the current strength of the junior categories below F1 is only increasing.
Gabriel Bortoleto and Isack Hadjar battled it out for the F2 title last year and both earned promotions as a result, while Oliver Bearman and Liam Lawson’s cameo also saw them signed permanently by their respective teams.
With new regulations being introduced to F1 in 2026, it’s unlikely that this year will see a similar level of movement within the driver’s market.
However, there is one driver who looks in serious danger of being let go at the end of this year regardless of how well or badly he performs.
Yuki Tsunoda looks set to be entering his final year as a Racing Bulls driver
Journalist Scott Mitchell-Malm was talking on The Race F1 Podcast about the situation at Racing Bulls beyond 2025.
Yuki Tsunoda missed out on a Red Bull promotion in the winter and speaking about the medium-term future of his current team, he said: “There’s a part of it that I don’t think is tricky at all.
“I don’t think Tsunoda’s at Racing Bulls next year. I don’t think he’s in the Red Bull family beyond this season.
“I’d go so far as to say I’d be very surprised if he stays.
READ MORE: Visa Cash App Racing Bulls driver Yuki Tsunoda’s life outside F1 from height to parents
“I think for 2026, I think Racing Bulls will be Hadjar and Arvid Lindblad. Red Bull thinks really, really highly of Lindblad.
“You remember last year, there was all of that hurrah around the exemption on the superlicense to be able to get, Friday practice superlicense at the very least before you’re 18.
“And obviously there was a lot of attention about it because there was a question mark over what Antonelli would do.
“It was all about Red Bull and Lindblad because Lindblad’s still only 17, but the plan is for him to do Friday FP1s and also have the license to be able to test for Red Bull this year.”
Why Yuki Tsunoda needs to look over his shoulder at Racing Bulls sooner rather than later
The £1.5m-a-year Racing Bulls driver has been consistently improving over the past few seasons and statistically has outperformed his last three teammates including Lawson.
However, Red Bull believe Lawson has a higher ceiling which will be important in trying to compete with new teammate Max Verstappen over the upcoming season.
Tsunoda is also tied to Honda who will be ending their partnership with Red Bull and Racing Bulls at the end of 2025.
READ MORE: All to know about Visa Cash App Racing Bulls from team principal to Red Bull affiliation
Haas are big admirers of Tsunoda and their new partnership with Toyota could see Tsunoda switch between the Japanese manufacturers to continue working with a Formula 1 team outside the Red Bull family.
What Tsunoda has to be wary of as Mitchell-Malm alludes to is the imminent threat of Arvid Lindblad.
Christian Horner is a big fan of Lindblad and the British teenager is on the cusp of winning the Formula Regional Oceania championship, which will earn him enough points for an F1 superlicense.
Once that’s the case, he’ll be able to take part in tests and FP1 sessions and as Red Bull showed with Daniel Ricciardo last year, they won’t hesitate to replace a more experienced driver with a youngster if they think they have a bigger future with the team.
Leave feedback about this