What Yuki Tsunoda now needs to do at the Qatar Grand Prix as Red Bull set 2026 decision date

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Yuki Tsunoda’s time in Formula 1 is expiring as Red Bull’s decision date for their 2026 seats nears by the day.

At the most important time in his career, the Japanese driver has been absent from the points, and it feels as though the writing may now be on the wall. Even a Racing Bulls return feels unlikely.

Red Bull have remained patient with him and given plenty of time to adjust to the RB21, but for whatever reason, it just hasn’t worked.

Tsunoda has known for some time when a decision on his future would be made, but he has allowed his rivals to gain the edge on him with a lack of performance.

After looking back on 2025, Tsunoda put some blame on Red Bull, which may not do his already slender hopes of getting a seat any good.

Heading into Las Vegas, Tsunoda had to use his greatest ‘strengths’, and could still only muster a 12th place. Being involved for the 2026 F1 regulations is going to be a far cry.

READ MORE: How Racing Bulls staff feel about working with Yuki Tsunoda as Red Bull consider 2026 reunion

Yuki Tsunoda needs to score a Red Bull podium at the Qatar Grand Prix

Laurent Mekies is ‘really struggling’ to drop Tsunoda, but mainly because he has his reservations about both his replacement and one of Racing Bulls’ potential options.

The current expectation is that Isack Hadjar will end up at Red Bull alongside Max Verstappen, with Arvid Lindblad, the Formula 2 sensation, claiming his vacant role.

He’s just 18 years old, though, and is a very raw prospect. In the first year of a new set of regulations, would it be wise to throw someone in at the deep end like that?

The Italian edition of Motorsport.com now reports that a Red Bull decision is coming after the Qatar Grand Prix, which could be the end of the road for Tsunoda.

Sitting 17th in the drivers’ championship, he hasn’t matched the level of speed required from someone in a car that is currently in a title battle with two races to go.

Regardless of how difficult his situation has been, he will know that he might have left a few points on the table this season. If he loses his seat, his attention will be best diverted to securing a role in 2027.

READ MORE: Juan Pablo Montoya says Red Bull ‘politics’ could save Yuki Tsunoda as he fights Liam Lawson for a seat

Yuki Tsunoda breaks Red Bull record during the 2025 F1 season

By quite some distance, Tsunoda has officially scored the fewest points of a Red Bull driver since the system was changed back in 2010.

In fact, the last time one of their driver went through an entire campaign with less than 30 points was back in 2008, when Mark Webber and David Coulthard did so.

But that was with a much shorter calendar, a much slower car, and fewer points on offer. It’s hard to argue that he deserves to be on the grid still.

However, Liam Lawson’s early-season struggles say a lot. As does everyone else who has been in Red Bull’s second car. For whatever reason, it just doesn’t work in the hands of anyone other than Verstappen.