Why Red Bull were ‘afraid’ to hold a media session after Yuki Tsunoda’s Abu Dhabi test

The 2024 Formula 1 season came to an end at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in what has been a chaotic year for Red Bull.

The Milton Keynes-based outfit retained their drivers’ title through Max Verstappen as the Dutchman claimed his fourth consecutive championship at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

After winning seven of the opening 10 races of the season, Red Bull began to suffer a drop in performance as Verstappen and teammate Sergio Perez struggled to extract the best from the RB20. But the former was still able to do what was required and get the results needed to win the title.

The same could not be said for Perez, who had struggled long before it was apparent Red Bull did not have the fastest car. The Mexican endured his worst season with the team in 2024, finishing eighth in the standings having not finished on the podium since China.

The 34-year-old has been under pressure to keep his seat at Red Bull despite having a contract until at least 2026. Perez’s retirement in Abu Dhabi is said to be the final straw as the top figures at Red Bull met on Monday to discuss their plans.

If Perez is shown the door, RB drivers Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda are in the running to replace him, with Isack Hadjar set to take the seat from whoever is promoted to Red Bull.

Red Bull were ‘afraid’ the media would question their drivers over their futures at the post-season test

At the post-season test in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, Red Bull handed Tsunoda his first outing with the team, with the Japanese driver being under consideration to partner Verstappen in 2025. However, the team did not hold a media session that day.

This was the case for most teams in the paddock. Carlos Sainz did not speak with the media during his first test with Williams as he is still under contract at Ferrari, hence why he drove in plain white racing overalls.

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But Red Bull did not speak with the media for a ‘completely different reason. As Dutch journalist Ronald Vording put it, the team were ‘a little bit afraid’ the likes of Lawson, Tsunoda and Hadjar would be questioned over their future after the bosses met the day before.

“In those cases [Sainz], there was no room at all [for] media sessions, [it] also applies to Nico Hulkenberg at Haas,” said Vording via the Motorsport․com Nederland YouTube channel.

“In theory, it would have been allowed at the Red Bull teams, but they didn’t do it for a completely different reason. Because I think they were a little bit afraid that we would [have spoken to] Lawson, Hadjar, Tsunoda, that we had all asked about the meeting, the top-level meeting yesterday and therefore about what is going to happen next year.

“And Red Bull was not very interested in that so they expertly kept all that away from us.”

How did Yuki Tsunoda fair in the post-season test in Abu Dhabi?

While the timings are absolutely nothing to go by, Tsunoda was 17th in his outing with Red Bull in Abu Dhabi.

In fact, the Japanese driver was behind the other three Red Bull drivers in the session. Hadjar in the second Red Bull with 15th, while RB runners Lawson and Ayumu Iwasa were 13th and sixth respectively.

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Tsunoda spoke highly of the RB20, stating it did not take long for him to adjust to the car as it suited his driving style. His outing will give him some hope that will be racing with the main team next season.

The 24-year-old will spend a fifth season with RB if he is snubbed from the Red Bull seat, and it seems likely that will happen. Lawson is the favorite to be promoted after racing only seven Grand Prix with the Faenza outfit in 2023 and 2024 after standing in for Daniel Ricciardo.

It is not currently clear as to what Red Bull’s decision is, but everyone around the paddock, and indeed the world, will be eagerly awaiting the team’s verdict on their drivers.