Yuki Tsunoda’s long and fiery battle to secure his place in Formula 1 has reached a terrifying climax. Once hailed as the rising star who might finally shatter Red Bull’s infamous second seat curse, Tsunoda now finds himself dangling on the edge of oblivion—his fate reportedly sealed behind closed doors in Milton Keynes.
Insiders claim Red Bull has already made its move: Tsunoda will NOT keep his senior seat unless he delivers a miracle turnaround before the season ends. Instead, the team is preparing to unleash its next prodigy, Isack Hadjar, in 2026—an announcement that could be imminent. And with Honda preparing to exit Red Bull, ᵴtriƥping Tsunoda of his key backing, the Japanese driver looks more vulnerable than ever.
The numbers tell a brutal story. While Max Verstappen storms to 230 points and another title charge, Tsunoda has scraped together just 12—most of which came with his previous team. In the mighty RB21, he’s been nowhere. Monza was the breaking point: nearly eight-tenths slower than Verstappen in qualifying, clumsy contact with Liam Lawson, and an 80-second deficit at the flag. Helmut Marko didn’t hold back, blasting his performance as “incredibly stupid” and questioning whether Tsunoda has the mental discipline to survive in the sport.
Even Tsunoda himself seems to know the writing is on the wall. After another demoralizing outing, he admitted flatly: “It’s not easy, but you just have to do it.” Gone was the fiery firebrand who once cursed and fought over the radio. In his place, a man beaten down by Red Bull’s ruthless machine.
And yet—this is not just a Tsunoda problem. The Red Bull second seat has become a career graveyard. Gasly, Albon, Perez—all chewed up and spat out by a car designed around Verstappen’s unique driving style. Tsunoda may not be failing as much as he is being set up to fail in a system where only one man thrives.
But Red Bull is moving forward regardless. Hadjar’s meteoric rise has them convinced he’s the future, and Arvid Lindblad is waiting in the wings. Tsunoda, once the great Japanese hope, is being squeezed out by the very machine that gave him a shot.
Former AlphaTauri boss Franz Tost delivered the final dagger, praising Tsunoda’s raw speed but calling out his lack of diligence: “Talent alone isn’t enough. You must master the data, master the car. Yuki never did.”
Unless Tsunoda can conjure something spectacular—an unforgettable, podium-snatching drive that forces Red Bull to reconsider—his fate is sealed. By 2026, the second seat will belong to someone else, and Tsunoda will join the long list of names remembered not as champions, but as casualties of Red Bull’s brutal empire.
🔥 The decision has been made. The only question now is: can Yuki Tsunoda rewrite the script in time, or will he become the latest tragic chapter in the most unforgiving story in Formula 1?
