Laurent Mekies sets Yuki Tsunoda one clear challenge to help save his Red Bull F1 career

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Yuki Tsunoda failed to score points in a Grand Prix for the 10th time in his 14 rounds as a Red Bull driver at Monza, as the Japanese star fights to save his future in Formula 1.

The team from Milton Keynes have a major decision to make over their driver line-up for the third time in the past year, with Tsunoda struggling to deliver since he replaced Liam Lawson in March. Lawson also lasted just two rounds, having struggled after replacing Sergio Perez.

Red Bull have so far only seen Tsunoda get points in a Grand Prix with P9s in Bahrain and the Netherlands, plus P10s in Miami and Imola. The 25-year-old also earned points in the Miami Sprint with P6. But P9 in the Dutch GP mark Tsunoda’s only points from the last nine rounds.

Tsunoda’s plight may cost Red Bull’s staff a fortune in bonuses, too, as the team from Milton Keynes base their handouts on the F1 constructors’ championship. Red Bull are fourth in the standings, but trail McLaren by 378 points and close rivals Ferrari by 41 and Mercedes by 21.

Laurent Mekies wants Yuki Tsunoda to produce ‘clean’ races to save his Red Bull seat

Red Bull would sit second in the constructors’ standings if Tsunoda scored even one third of teammate Max Verstappen’s 230 points. The Dutchman has also earned 194 of his points in the 14 rounds since Tsunoda joined Red Bull, as well as three Grand Prix and one Sprint win.

READ MORE: Red Bull driver Max Verstappen’s life outside F1 from net worth to girlfriend

And it is Tsunoda’s race performances that Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies wants to see him improve. Mekies feels Red Bull are not getting the data they need to decide on their line-up for 2026 from Tsunoda struggling in traffic or getting engaged in needless tangles.

Mekies told The Race after the Italian GP: “I’m tempted to tell you, ‘clean samples’, because today was a poor sample. The races at the front are very clean. You get at least a good stint to read your performance. But here it was very difficult to get anything out of today.

“[Tsunoda spent] the first stint in traffic [and] the second stint with the car damage. If I look back at the last couple of races, it’s quite similar.

“It is correct to say that we probably have more work to do on the race pace than the quali pace with Yuki. But, again, it’s also why we are giving ourselves a bit more time.”

Yuki Tsunoda risks falling off the F1 grid if Red Bull do not offer him a new contract

Tsunoda could only finish P13 at Monza last Sunday, as Red Bull teammate Verstappen won the 2025 Italian GP from pole position. They even took the chequered flag 80.701 seconds apart, with Tsunoda also starting his final lap right as Verstappen brought his RB21 home.

READ MORE: All you need to know about Red Bull team principal and CEO Laurent Mekies

Contact with Lawson midway through the Italian GP left Tsunoda with damage, too, having tangled with the Racing Bulls driver at the Roggia Chicane. Lawson got a great run through Curva Grande but Tsunoda squeezed the Kiwi at Turn 4, which caused damage to his floor.

Now, Mekies wants to see Tsunoda avoid those types of incidents to show Red Bull why they ought to keep him in 2026. It has been said that Red Bull have internally confirmed Tsunoda will leave when his contract expires in December, but Mekies is keen to give him more time.

The Japanese star would likely find himself off the F1 grid for at least the 2026 season if Red Bull sever their ties. Alpine adviser Flavio Briatore is not keen on signing Tsunoda to replace Franco Colapinto, who also continues to have an unclear future without a contract for 2026.

Replacing the Argentine at Alpine would likely be Tsunoda’s best hope to stay on the F1 grid in 2026, with only Mercedes also holding vacancies. Silver Arrows team boss Toto Wolff has stated that Mercedes intend to keep George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli in 2026, too.