Yuki Tsunoda’s career trajectory has become the latest buzz, with Honda shedding light on the young driver’s uncertain future.
The drama unfolded in Bahrain, where Tsunoda’s 2024 season got off to a rocky start due to a telling and heated moment with teammate Daniel Ricciardo over a team order. Amidst this, Koji Watanabe, the head honcho at Red Bull Racing and RB’s engine partner Honda Racing Corporation, revealed that Tsunoda’s journey with the Red Bull clan beyond 2024 is still up in the air.
“They (Red Bull) will be with us until 2025, so if Yuki is a driver who can win, of course they would want him,” Watanabe shared with as-web.jp, hinting at the high stakes involved.
“In my regular meetings with Red Bull, I am told that it depends on performance this year. They have high expectations, and in order to live up to them, in my personal opinion, there needs to be a podium.”
“Of course, the word ‘podium’ was not mentioned, but I believe that in order to make it to the top team, you have to perform at that level, and I believe that he can do it,” he added, showing faith in Tsunoda’s abilities.
As speculation mounts, it’s rumored that Liam Lawson might snag a full-time F1 seat with Red Bull next year, potentially nudging Tsunoda towards new horizons.
Interestingly, with Honda’s partnership with Red Bull winding down and a new alliance with Aston Martin on the horizon for 2026, the grapevine is buzzing with the possibility of Tsunoda making a switch.
“I haven’t thought about it,” claims Watanabe, playing coy about the swirling rumors.
“I’ve said to Yuki that I want him to do his thing without being tied down to Honda. Just because we are partnering with Aston Martin from 2026 does not mean that Honda-trained drivers have to go to Aston Martin.”
“The important thing is that the drivers trained by Honda are successful, no matter what team they work for. But it would be great if we were on the same team,” he admits, sparking excitement about the potential pairing.
