Racing Bulls chief shares heartfelt message after Yuki Tsunoda’s move to Red Bull

Racing Bulls has addressed Yuki Tsunoda’s exit from the team as he steps up to Red Bull to replace Liam Lawson from the Japanese Grand Prix. 

Red Bull decided to promote Lawson to replace Sergio Perez for the 2025 Formula 1 season. However, after just two Grands Prix in Australia and China, the Milton Keynes outfit has chosen to move the New Zealander to its sister team, Racing Bulls, and promote Tsunoda in time for his home race at Suzuka next week. 

Tsunoda has had a great start to the season. He qualified in fifth for the season-opening race in Melbourne, collected three points with a sixth-place finish at the Chinese sprint race, and qualified in ninth for the Chinese Grand Prix, although front-wing damage saw him finish the race in 16th.

Racing Bulls team principal Laurent Mekies has commented on the Japanese driver’s exit, stating:

“We’re incredibly proud of Yuki earning his well-deserved move to Oracle Red Bull Racing! His progress last year, and more recently from the very start of 2025, has been nothing less than sensational. Personally, and collectively, it has been an immense privilege to witness those progresses for all of us in Faenza and in Milton Keynes.

“Yuki’s energy and positivity has lightened up every corner of our factories and of our garage and he will always be a Racing Bull! We wish him all the success he deserves at ORBR. Everyone here at VCARB is looking forward to working hard with Liam to give him the best environment possible for him to shine in our car and to express the talent we all know he has.

“He fit in so well last year, and we cannot wait to challenge ourselves and grow as a Team. With Isack having started so strongly with us already, we know we have a young and strong lineup.”

Tsunoda will now step out in front of his home crowd in the race suit he has been working so hard for during his four years with the Red Bull sister team. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean it will be a quick fix for the Christian Horner-led team, with the RB21 has proving troublesome so far this season. Four-time champion Max Verstappen visited the team’s headquarters this week to try and iron out the issues.

The Japanese Grand Prix is set to take place on 4-6 April.