The 2025 Formula 1 grid is going to look very different to last season with eight teams switching up their driver pairings over the winter break.
McLaren and Aston Martin were the only teams to stick with their previous pairings, as the 2025 F1 grid sees a handful of rookies handed their debuts.
It means the pressure is on these young drivers to prove themselves in what’s expected to be one of the closest seasons in F1 history.
The lack of rule changes over the winter means every team can refine their cars and take inspiration from McLaren and Ferrari’s 2024 machines which dominated races after Red Bull’s impressive start to the campaign.
For the other teams in the paddock – aside from potentially Mercedes who also managed to win several Grand Prix – a decision will quickly need to be made over whether to concentrate on this year or if they should get a head start on 2026.
Williams could sacrifice 2025 to concentrate on their long-term objectives, while the likes of Aston Martin and Sauber may also head in that direction.
This leaves many drivers in a precarious position as their ability to prove their worthiness may be hampered by organisations that have bigger ambitions for the future.
A report from Autoracer suggests that Racing Bulls – previously known as RB – may already be considering the future of one of its drivers.
After missing out on a promotion to Red Bull, Yuki Tsunoda’s time with the team may be set to come to an end before the 2026 campaign begins.
Racing Bulls star Yuki Tsunoda could become 2026 F1 reserve driver
Tsunoda impressed in a post-season test for Red Bull in Abu Dhabi, but it wasn’t enough to convince team principal Christian Horner and the team’s shareholders that he deserved a promotion after four years with the junior outfit.
Instead, Liam Lawson will be tasked with trying to match Max Verstappen next year after Sergio Perez was dropped following a year of underperformance.
The report from Autoracer says there’s ‘little certainty’ surrounding Tsunoda’s F1 future, particularly with Honda moving on at the end of the year.
Instead, Red Bull will develop their own power units, with Honda becoming Aston Martin’s exclusive engine supplier.
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The report suggests that ‘one prospect’ for Tsunoda is to become Aston Martin’s reserve driver before hoping a race seat opens up for him in 2027.
Lance Stroll appears to be a permanent fixture at Aston Martin for as long as he and his father Lawrence Stroll want him to race in F1.
Tsunoda may therefore end up having to wait for Fernando Alonso to retire to return to the grid, while also proving he’s a better prospect than F2 champion Felipe Drugovich.
Drugovich has been told he deserves an F1 seat, while Alonso has already discussed why he would retire from Formula 1 one day but never put a timeframe on when he’ll finally step away from the sport.
Christian Horner has already hinted at Yuki Tsunoda’s exit
Autoracer believes Tsunoda’s increasingly long stay within the Racing Bulls team is also counting against his future prospects, especially when Red Bull overlook him for Lawson who only has 11 Grand Prix under his belt.
When Red Bull promoted Lawson, Horner told the press: “We’re acutely aware that if we’re not able to provide an opportunity for Yuki [at Red Bull] in all honesty this year, does it [keeping him on] make sense?”
“You can’t have a driver in the support team for five years. You can’t always be the bridesmaid. You’ve either got to let them go at that point or look at something different.”
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Tsunoda has previously been described as ‘explosive’, via the AutoHebdo Podcast, and while that’s something he’s very much working on, it may have counted against him when Red Bull were discussing whether to promote him.
Horner has several issues with Tsunoda that meant he was unlikely to ever be their first choice.
Cadillac’s introduction to the grid in 2026 means there will be two more available race seats next year which could help Tsunoda should Racing Bulls decide against offering him a new contract.
The Aston Martin reserve driver role is far from ideal for Tsunoda but may end up being his best backup plan if he wants to stay in Formula 1.
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