The 2025 Formula 1 season hasn’t started yet, but the off-season has seen plenty of drivers change teams and speculation begin over how next year’s grid could look.
Only McLaren and Aston Martin stuck with both of their racers from 2024, with ten confirmed driver changes on the 2025 grid.
Many of the drivers who changed teams or were promoted into seats from Formula 2 were handed multi-year deals.
New regulations are being introduced to Formula 1 in 2026 and team principals want a stable pairing so that they know exactly why they’re developing their car at a time when the rules are drastically changing.
However, even if a driver has a contract that runs until the end of next season or even longer, the pressure is still on to perform with so many talented racers waiting in the wings for their opportunity.
Franco Colapinto and Oliver Bearman proved last season that it only takes a couple of races for a youngster to prove that they’re worthy of being on the grid.
Yuki Tsunoda on ‘borrowed time’ at Racing Bulls but still has the backing of Helmut Marko
A report from Autosport from the F1 75 livery launch event has shared more details about Yuki Tsunoda and his Formula 1 future.
Racing Bulls handed Tsunoda a contract extension for 2025 during the Canadian Grand Prix last year and have paired him with Isack Hadjar this season.
Tsunoda missed out on a Red Bull promotion over the winter, being overlooked for Liam Lawson, which leaves him in a precarious position.
The Japanese driver ‘did not look altogether happy’ when asked about missing out on the Red Bull seat and when asked about it, he said: “I already kind of parked it away from my head.
“The moment they [Red Bull] officially announced [Lawson], I didn’t actually feel super-super angry or disappointed. Maybe I was prepared at some point.”
When asked about whether he might need to find a new team in 2026, Tsunoda joked: “I don’t know, maybe this team changes its name again next year and it’s a different team!”
READ MORE: Racing Bulls driver Yuki Tsunoda’s life outside F1 from height to parents
However, the report goes on to say that Tsunoda is on ‘borrowed time’ at Racing Bulls given the end of the team’s relationship with Honda quickly approaching.
The 24-year-old is heavily backed by Honda and talk that Tsunoda could join Aston Martin because they’ll be exclusively providing their power units won’t go away.
Autosport believes that Helmut Marko still ‘holds out some hope’ for Tsunoda which suggests that if things don’t go to plan for Lawson alongside Max Verstappen, he might finally get his chance in the senior team.
However, when Tsunoda was asked about his feelings towards staying with the £965m-valued Racing Bulls team and the Red Bull structure in general, the Japanese driver answered: “I would love to be part of this team, I’m going to stick to what I’m doing.
“I understand why they chose Liam. It is what it is. There are things I can’t control… I just need to keep focused on what I’m doing, prove myself more.”
Martin Brundle a big fan of ‘tremendous’ Yuki Tsunoda
Tsunoda was incredibly raw when he made his Formula 1 debut in 2021 with AlphaTauri.
He became synonymous with sweary outbursts on the radio but quickly became a popular figure in the paddock and with fans.
Martin Brundle has previously described Tsunoda as a ‘tremendous’ driver and last season was his most impressive in Formula 1 so far.
READ MORE: All to know about Racing Bulls from team principal to Red Bull affiliation
Tsunoda has outpaced his last three teammates – Nyck de Vries, Daniel Ricciardo and Lawson – and while that may never be enough for team principal Christian Horner to promote him alongside Verstappen, it’s only enhancing his reputation in the paddock.
That could prove crucial if Tsunoda wants to be on the grid in 2026, however, the timing of his contract ending is unlikely to help him.
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