Where Red Bull now stand on Yuki Tsunoda’s immediate F1 future after sacking Christian Horner

Follow us on Google Discover

Yuki Tsunoda now has a new boss in Laurent Mekies after Red Bull sacked Christian Horner, who always had his doubts about the Japanese talent driving for the team.

Mekies enjoyed his first day at the helm of the Milton Keynes squad on Thursday, as Red Bull held a pre-planned filming day at Silverstone. The 48-year-old is the second team principal that Red Bull have known, having hired Horner to lead the team after buying Jaguar off Ford.

Red Bull sacked Horner without telling him why on Tuesday, with the news then made public on Wednesday that they had removed the 51-year-old from operational control as their team principal and CEO. Horner is now on gardening leave as his Red Bull contract runs to 2030.

Horner’s dismissal also sparks questions about Red Bull’s line-up, with Tsunoda set to be out of contract after the 2025 F1 season and Max Verstappen open to Mercedes’ interest. It had also been said that Red Bull could release Tsunoda this summer if his form failed to improve.

Laurent Mekies will let Yuki Tsunoda finish the 2025 F1 season at Red Bull

Horner pulled a U-turn in March when Red Bull promoted Tsunoda from Racing Bulls, having decided after just two rounds that Liam Lawson could not cut it next to Verstappen. Yet their hope that Tsunoda would fare better has not materialised like the early signs hinted it could.

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

The 25-year-old has only scored seven points through his 10 rounds with the team. Tsunoda is the first Red Bull driver to finish consecutive F1 races in last place, as well, after taking the chequered flag during the Austrian Grand Prix in P16 and then the British Grand Prix in P15.

Tsunoda admitted he felt ‘lost’ driving the Red Bull RB21 at the British GP, too. But Horner’s exit should remove any fears that he might get replaced in the summer, as Motorsport.com now reports that Mekies and Red Bull’s new management will let Tsunoda finish the season.

However, while Mekies will let Tsunoda contest the remaining 12 rounds of this season, the Frenchman and Red Bull are yet to decide his long-term future. Honda leaving Red Bull and becoming Aston Martin’s factory engine partner next year strips Tsunoda of his key partner.

Mekies’ arrival in Milton Keynes might help Tsunoda secure a longer-term future at Red Bull, though. Fox Sports also reports that while Red Bull’s old management was begrudgingly set to let Tsunoda see out the year, Mekies was a key backer of Tsunoda while at Racing Bulls.

So, now that Mekies is at the helm instead of Horner, the Frenchman’s presence at Red Bull can ‘considerably’ boost Tsunoda’s hopes for staying in 2026. Mekies’ technical background could also help Tsunoda, who has never taken a podium from 99 Grand Prix starts, improve.

Christian Horner always questioned whether Yuki Tsunoda was the right driver for Red Bull

Honda is paying Red Bull upwards of £17m for Tsunoda to drive for the team this term, with the 25-year-old a product of the Honda Formula Dream academy. Yet his results since taking Lawson’s seat this March have not justified a place in a top F1 team and are costing Red Bull.

Honda leaving Red Bull might even be fatal for the Kanagawa native’s career, as it is thought that Tsunoda has almost a 0% chance of staying in F1 in 2026 with Isack Hadjar due to move up from Racing Bulls. If Tsunoda leaves Red Bull, it is hard to see where he can go next term.

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

While Verstappen sits third in the F1 drivers’ championship, Tsunoda is 17th with only Oliver Bearman (6), Gabriel Bortoleto (4), Franco Colapinto and Jack Doohan (0) thus far recording fewer points this year. Tsunoda even secured three of his 10 points while still at Racing Bulls.

Horner always questioned if Tsunoda had the right temperament for Red Bull, as well, which was one of the reasons why the Briton initially opposed him replacing Sergio Perez in favour of Lawson last December. So, Tsunoda will hope that Mekies’ arrival offers him a fresh start.

But while Mekies intends to let Tsunoda see out the 2025 F1 season, it remains to be seen if Red Bull do not decide to make another early change with the Japanese driver costing them in the constructors’ standings. Verstappen has scored 165 of Red Bull’s 172 points this term.