Yuki Tsunoda told he must be “exceptional” with Red Bull future “a big question mark”

1997 F1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve believes Yuki Tsunoda’s future at Red Bull is a “big question mark” heading into the second half of the 2025 season.

Tsunoda finally got his Red Bull chance three races into the 2025 F1 campaign, replacing Liam Lawson for the Japanese Grand Prix.

Like his predecessor, Tsunoda has struggled for pace, lagging well behind teammate Max Verstappen.

Tsunoda has scored points just three times for Red Bull, finishing no higher than ninth.

The most recent round at Silverstone was another low point for Tsunoda after he finished last.

It looks unlikely Tsunoda will retain his drive for next year, even if Verstappen leaves the team.

While Villeneuve acknowledged that Tsunoda is a “good driver”, he’s not “exceptional”.

“How long Yuki Tsunoda will stay at Red Bull is the other big question mark,” he told the official F1 website.

“He was pushing so hard to go from the small team to the big team. He’s a good driver, but you have to be exceptional… you have to be a Lewis, you have to be a Fernando [Alonso], you have to be a Piastri or a Norris.”

Will Tsunoda be on the grid for 2026?

If Yuki Tsunoda is dropped by Red Bull, it seems unlikely that he will be on the grid in 2026.

According to various reports, if Verstappen stays, Isack Hadjar will likely be his teammate.

Lawson will remain at Racing Bulls, potentially alongside current F2 star Arvid Lindblad.

Lindblad is highly-rated by Red Bull bosses and drove for the team in FP1 at the British GP.

Tsunoda will need an upturn in form to secure his seat next year.

The arrival of Laurent Mekies as team principal could give him a welcome boost.

However, seats elsewhere are mostly filled.

Cadillac will become F1’s 11th team in 2026, and they have been heavily linked with Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez.

Alternatively, Mick Schumacher revealed he had held positive talks with the American team.