Yuki Tsunoda ‘not good enough’ as Red Bull F1 2026 decision looms

Red Bull have admitted that Yuki Tsunoda’s performances are still “not good enough” as a decision on their 2026 driver line-up looms.

Tsunoda has enjoyed a breakthrough in his performances since Azerbaijan and scored points in the sprint race and main grand prix last weekend in the United States by finishing seventh in both events.

But Tsunoda is still operating a long way off the standards set by teammate Max Verstappen, who dominated in Austin to claim his third victory in the past four races.

Verstappen out-qualified Tsunoda by almost eight tenths and finished nearly a minute ahead of the Japanese driver at the United States Grand Prix. 

Red Bull are expected to make a final call on who will partner Verstappen next season following this weekend’s Mexico City Grand Prix.

"We always want more. I'm not going to tell you it's good enough because you are right in quoting your numbers,” Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies said of Tsunoda’s current form.

"I'm not going to tell you that it's good enough, nobody feels like that, Yuki doesn't feel like that. All I'm saying is that it's two races in the points, it's two very good starts, it's two very good first laps, and it's a progression compared to what has been shown so far this year.

"Is it good enough? No, I would lie if I was telling you that - and more so Yuki would not be happy if I was telling you this is good enough.”

Where will Yuki Tsunoda end up?

Tsunoda is expected to be replaced by Racing Bulls' Isack Hadjar, who has enjoyed an impressive rookie season. 

Where Tsunoda ends up next year remains unclear.

He could return to sister team Racing Bulls, either back alongside Liam Lawson, or Arvid Lindblad, who has been tipped to be promoted from Formula 2.

Either way, Tsunoda is set to complete the rest of the 2025 season with Red Bull.

"I think there is a role [for Tsunoda to play]," Mekies added.

"A, because there is still a constructors' championship discussion - obviously not for the win, but for the other aspects. So we need Yuki.

"And B, the faster Yuki is,  the more we can split the tests across the car.

"We told you a couple of times this weekend - 'we test this with that car, we test this with the other car’.

"So it's important for us to have a very fast Yuki. And in terms of supporting situations and battling and strategy, it is also possible that with Yuki picking up, we can at some stage be in a position where we battle two against two."

Tsunoda is targeting another points finish in Mexico City. 

"I’m coming to Mexico ready to fight for the points again," he said in Red Bull's preview. "Austin was a very positive weekend during the races and I showed what I am capable of in this car. 

"I felt confident in the long run and was able to have a consistent weekend there. Now I need to get the short run in the same place and work on improving there so that I qualify better. 

"The aim is to have a consistent weekend overall and if I can do that I put myself in the position to score better points for the team and be racing nearer the top of the grid, where we should be."