Red Bull have now made a ‘painful realisation’ about Yuki Tsunoda, says their ex-F1 driver

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Yuki Tsunoda is the first driver in Red Bull’s 20-year history to fail to score a point in seven straight Grands Prix, which matches his total number of points with the team.

The 25-year-old moved up from sister squad Racing Bulls to replace Liam Lawson in March, as Red Bull pulled a U-turn on their decision to snub Tsunoda after two rounds. Yet the swap has not paid off, with Lawson scoring 20 points to Tsunoda’s seven from the 12 rounds since.

Tsunoda scored all seven of his points for Red Bull over his first five rounds with the team, as well. Never before had a driver failed to score a single point across seven straight Grand Prix finishes for Red Bull before Tsunoda, too, following a run with a best finish of P12 in Canada.

Now, motorsport adviser Helmut Marko has confirmed Red Bull will decide Tsunoda’s future after the summer break, with the Japanese racer out of contract at the end of this term. Red Bull did not extend Tsunoda’s contract beyond the 2025 season after he got Lawson’s seat.

Robert Doornbos thinks Red Bull realise Yuki Tsunoda is their ‘worst’ second driver ever

It is believed that Tsunoda faces a losing fight to stay at Red Bull in 2026, too, as they will not keep him if it stops the Milton Keynes squad from putting F2 rookie Arvid Lindblad at Racing Bulls. And Robert Doornbos thinks Tsunoda realises he does not deserve to stay at Red Bull.

READ MORE: Red Bull driver Yuki Tsunoda’s life outside F1 from height to parents

Doornbos, who started three Grands Prix for Red Bull in the 2006 F1 season, even thinks the team have realised that Tsunoda is “the worst” second driver they have ever fielded. He has qualified in 20th place twice, and failed to advance from Q1 and Q2 four times each already.

“Yuki’s performance in the second seat is the worst performance ever in the team’s history for a second driver,” Doornbos has told Motorsport.com. “That’s a very painful realisation.

“I think Yuki is a great guy, and I also think he’s shown some really good things in his very long F1 career. But at Red Bull, what he’s doing with that car is far from pretty. That’s just painful for the entire team. He doesn’t deserve a seat for 2026, I think he realises that.”

Robert Doornbos begs Red Bull not to promote ‘super talent’ Isack Hadjar in 2026

But while Doornbos feels Tsunoda has “realised” he does not deserve to drive for Red Bull in 2026, the team’s ex-F1 driver does not want Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar to step up next year. The Dutchman fears his compatriot Max Verstappen can destroy Hadjar as teammates.

READ MORE: Who is Racing Bulls 2025 F1 driver Isack Hadjar? Everything you need to know

Doornbos added: “Isack Hadjar is a super talent, a mega qualifying beast. They really have a project for the future in him. But please don’t put him alongside Max too soon, because Max consumes all his teammates.

“So, if Hadjar can drive for Racing Bulls for another year like this, I think he’ll benefit. Let me put it this way, I don’t think finding another second driver is a top priority at Red Bull Racing right now.”

Motorsport adviser Marko is pushing Red Bull to promote Hadjar for 2026, having impressed with his rookie results with Racing Bulls to date. Only Verstappen has more points in the Red Bull family than the 20-year-old Frenchman, who has 22 with a best finish of P6 in Monaco.