Yuki Tsunoda’s ‘personal sponsor’ could now help him secure a 2026 Racing Bulls seat over Liam Lawson

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Isack Hadjar is the growing favourite to partner Max Verstappen at Red Bull in 2026. That means Yuki Tsunoda will likely lose the seat he pursued for years.

Red Bull haven’t made a final decision on their line-up and will likely wait until the end of next month to do so. But the direction of travel is clear.

Indeed, Motorsport report that Hadjar will be joining Laurent Mekies’ team ‘unless something extraordinary happens’. Tsunoda, who has only scored points in one of the last nine races, would need an ‘exceptional’ run of results to change the bosses’ minds.

Arvid Lindblad is expected to join Racing Bulls, stepping up from Formula 2, so it seems the real battle may be between Tsunoda and Liam Lawson for the last remaining seat.

A report this week suggested Tsunoda has a ‘slight edge’ over Lawson and the continued support of Laurent Mekies.

How Yuki Tsunoda’s Honda ties could help him stay in F1 with Racing Bulls

While Tsunoda has been linked to Alpine, that move is considered a ‘long shot’. The real threat to Franco Colapinto may come from reserve driver Paul Aron.

Tsunoda’s sponsors, Honda, will split with Red Bull at the end of the season and supply Aston Martin’s engines instead. A back-up role at Aston, where Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll are under contract, is more ‘plausible’ than an Alpine move.

Even though his Honda ties will no longer be a factor at Red Bull, the Japanese giants could remain a ‘personal sponsor’ of Tsunoda. And Motorsport say ‘this would increase’ his chances of landing the Racing Bulls seat.

While it would clearly be a backwards step in his career, Tsunoda is open to rejoining the Faenza outfit. It may be his only hope of remaining on the F1 grid for 2026.

Yuki Tsunoda receives advice from driver who was dropped by Red Bull

It was recently claimed that Pierre Gasly wants Alpine to sign Tsunoda. The two drivers got on well as teammates at Racing Bulls forerunners AlphaTauri in 2021 and ’22.

While a reunion appears unlikely, Gasly has been giving Tsunoda advice. He says the 25-year-old must block out the external noise if he wants to improve on track.

Red Bull’s plans have become the biggest story in what has largely been a quiet F1 driver market. Tsunoda is facing questions over his future every single weekend.

Tsunoda could cost Red Bull staff bonus payments, with his lack of production keeping them fourth in the championship despite Max Verstappen’s heroics.