Yuki Tsunoda cannot join rival F1 series if he leaves Red Bull, he won’t make it back

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Yuki Tsunoda continues to fight for his Formula 1 future after his team insisted they would announce their line-up for 2026.

It means that for now, there remains time for the Japanese driver to perform a miracle turnaround and prove that he is the right choice heading into the 2026 F1 regulations. His performances so far suggest otherwise, but with four races to go, there is still a lot of racing ahead of him.

Red Bull’s main concern lies with their drivers’ championship fight currently, as Max Verstappen attempts a historic comeback against the McLaren duo of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. There’s a way for Tsunoda to get involved, and anything he can add could end up being pivotal in the fight.

Tsunoda can save his seat, but it’s going to require a lot of cooperation from his side. If ever there was a time for him to find some speed, it’s now. Tsunoda has the upper hand in Red Bull’s decision due to his ties with Honda, but it doesn’t mean that he’s a lock to be with them next year.

READ MORE: Red Bull chief denies what Yuki Tsunoda has said about their 2026 Formula 1 car

Yuki Tsunoda cannot afford to join IndyCar if he wants to make an F1 comeback

Red Bull’s head honchos haven’t decided on Tsunoda, and a big part of that may be down to their lack of choice elsewhere. If the team had a surefire replacement lined up, it would have been announced long ago.

For a while, rookie Isack Hadjar has been linked with a promotion, but there are fears that it could stunt his development by promoting him too soon and putting too much pressure on his shoulders.

The problem remains that there are three seats for two drivers. One of Tsunoda, Hadjar, or Liam Lawson are going to be off the grid next year. When assessing experience and performance, it’s hard to make a pick.

For Tsunoda, one thing is certain. He cannot afford to move to somewhere like IndyCar, because he would be waving goodbye to his Formula 1 career. Looking at previous examples, Marcus Ericsson went there and hasn’t returned, as did Alexander Rossi and Romain Grosjean.

The only man who has managed to go there and come back is Nigel Mansell, but he was already a champion, went and had a lot of success in America, before coming back to do Ferrari a favour before retirement.

The feeling is that it’s more of a place where drivers go to end their careers. Perhaps that trend is changing, but there is a lot for someone to prove before that changes. Going off the radar of potential employers is not a good idea. Someone, somewhere, will have an opportunity for Tsunoda.

READ MORE: Red Bull fear they could lose out on £38m if they announce that Yuki Tsunoda is leaving

Has Yuki Tsunoda’s final F1 back-up option already vanished for 2026?

Laurent Mekies and Helmut Marko disagree on Tsunoda, and it’s reasonable to think that his struggles this year haven’t all been his fault. Those who have failed before him did so for a good reason.

And at Racing Bulls, the 25-year-old had turned into a capable team leader. That doesn’t just vanish overnight.

Tsunoda’s final back-up might have vanished with Aston Martin having filled their reserve driver role, but not all hope is lost yet.

Starting with the upcoming Brazilian Grand Prix, he has another opportunity to prove that he belongs on the grid and can produce the goods in a top car.