Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda announcement shows they’ve finally learned from Daniel Ricciardo debacle

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Yuki Tsunoda’s fate for the 2026 Formula 1 season has been sealed, and, among other things, the reason for Red Bull making the announcement ahead of this year’s season finale has also emerged.

The Japanese driver has been forced to make way for Isack Hadjar after the Frenchman’s impressive rookie season in Formula 1 with Racing Bulls.

A seat alongside Liam Lawson at the Italian constructor was understood to be his best chance of keeping Yuki Tsunoda on the grid for 2026, but Red Bull decided to call up Arvid Lindblad from Formula 2 instead.

The 18-year-old will be the only rookie driver on the grid next season. In turn, Tsunoda has taken up the role of being Red Bull’s reserve and test driver for 2026.

Despite not having a full-time drive on the grid, the role will still be of the utmost importance next season, when F1’s new era of regulations comes into effect.

• READ MORE: Red Bull rejected an offer from Honda that would have kept Yuki Tsunoda on the Formula 1 grid

Red Bull wanted to avoid a ‘messy PR situation’ by announcing Yuki Tsunoda’s exit before the end of the season

According to a recent report from ESPN, the reason for Red Bull announcing the shift in driver line-up ahead of the final round of the season originates from the ‘messy PR situation’ that surrounded Daniel Ricciardo’s exit from Racing Bulls mid-way through 2024.

Red Bull were criticised for the way they ousted Ricciardo from the Faenza-based team after the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix.

Having spent 14 years as an F1 driver, in which he won eight Grands Prix and became a fan favourite across the world, his departure from the team was announced four days after the conclusion of the race weekend at Marina Bay.

Red Bull had already come to a decision on Ricciardo’s future at that point, leaving it a mystery as to why they decided against announcing it before the final race of his career.

The paddock was unable to give the charismatic Australian the send-off that so many within the Formula 1 world felt he deserved, to the dismay of everyone. Ricciardo announced his retirement from motorsport one year later.

The report states that there was a ‘push internally’ for the announcement to precede Tsunoda’s final race of the season, in order for the Japanese driver to receive his dues.

• READ MORE: Red Bull pay tribute to Yuki Tsunoda after confirming exit ahead of the 2026 F1 season

Yuki Tsunoda could replicate Alex Albon by returning to the grid in 2027 even stronger

The record of Red Bull’s previous reserve drivers certainly bodes well for Tsunoda’s chances of claiming a seat on the F1 grid in 2027.

Both Ricciardo, who served as the team’s reserve in 2023, and Alex Albon, who took up the role in 2021, landed a full-time drive in the year after.

Whilst Ricciardo’s return to the grid isn’t the greatest example of coming back even better than before, Albon certainly is.

The British driver has been an integral part of Williams’ move back up the F1 pecking order, and Tsunoda could very well find himself replicating the Thai driver in the future.

Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu is a ‘big fan’ of Tsunoda’s skill set, and if Ferrari opts to bring Oliver Bearman into the fold at Maranello in 2027, it certainly opens the door for them to acquire a well-experienced replacement.