Two under-pressure drivers suffered big crashes in qualifying at Imola and walked away to tell the tale, leaving their mechanics with a lot of work.
The Formula 1 driver market for 2026 is just starting to ramp up, as teams assess the performance of various stars throughout the first seven Grands Prix of this year.
There aren’t too many top-tier openings for next year, with two seats at Mercedes and one at Red Bull meant to be the most coveted drives.
The least secure of the three current drivers in those roles is Yuki Tsunoda, who has struggled to adjust to a new car since being promoted from Racing Bulls.
Tsunoda failed one simple task in Imola and couldn’t keep Oscar Piastri behind at a critical part of the race for teammate Max Verstappen.
Red Bull’s biggest problem remains after an upgrade, which means their tyre management is still not where they would like it to be.
READ MORE: Jacques Villeneuve worried one F1 driver could lose his race seat ‘soon’ after Imola qualifying
Yuki Tsunoda admits he ‘didn’t sleep’ in Imola after Red Bull qualifying crash
Tsunoda still only sits 12th in the drivers’ championship, despite his teammate being third after claiming two victories in seven races.
He hasn’t been able to deliver what was needed to his team and his future is going to come under real question soon.
Speaking to Speedweek after the race, the 24-year-old admitted that he felt bad after his mega qualifying shunt, which left his colleagues with a lot of work to do.
“I’m happy to have given at least a little something back to my team, especially after all the hard work they put in overnight, especially the mechanics,” he said. “At the same time, I was also frustrated with qualifying. I didn’t really sleep well last night.
“It’s only a small amount, but at least something for the team.” Tsunoda: “I tried to keep the McLarens behind me longer, but they had more grip with fresher tyres. The safety cars also created some interesting situations.
“We took a step forward this weekend, and the qualifying setup was a big change, but we didn’t change much in the setup compared to yesterday, and it was good to have more time to get to know the car in the race and gain experience,” Tsunoda continued.
“I still need to get used to the car more and am now focused on qualifying in Monaco and good results in the next races.”
READ MORE: Yuki Tsunoda already dealing with a ‘worrying trend’ at Red Bull that mirrors where Sergio Perez was ‘struggling’ last season
Who could replace Yuki Tsunoda at Red Bull for 2026?
Presuming that Tsunoda uses his experience and eventually finds a way to pick his pace back up, he should be around until the end of the season.
However, without getting close to the levels of Verstappen, he’s going to be at major risk of being replaced ahead of the 2026 F1 regulations.
In fact, there are two current candidates who might even be in line to grab his seat in the middle of the current season if things continue as they are.
Both Isack Hadjar and Arvid Lindblad are going about their business positively in 2025 and could be thrown into the mix.
Considering how other drivers have been sent to the front of the line, it wouldn’t be a surprise for them to be promoted mid-season or at least for 2026.
