Yuki Tsunoda new job confirmed after being dropped by Red Bull and left without seat | F1 | Sport
Yuki Tsunoda will serve as Red Bull’s test and reserve driver next season after being dropped from his full-time seat. Isack Hadjar will step up to become Max Verstappen’s team-mate in 2026, while Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad will drive for the Racing Bulls sister team.
Tsunoda got his long-awaited shot at taking on Verstappen ahead of his home race in round three of the 2025 campaign when Lawson was dropped after just two Grands Prix. However, the move did not pan out as hoped, and heading into the final race of the season, the Kanagawa-born racer is 15th in the Drivers’ Championship standings, while his team-mate is fighting for the title.
With no other seats on the 2026 grid available, news of Hadjar’s promotion to Red Bull and Lindblad’s call-up means that Tsunoda will not be driving in F1 full-time next season. However, the 25-year-old has been handed a lifeline as a test and reserve driver.
“Yuki has raced in Red Bull colours for seven years now, and I have had the pleasure of working with him at both Red Bull teams,” Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies said. “Through his five seasons so far in Formula One, Yuki has matured into a complete racer, good over a single lap on Saturday and capable of exceptional starts and excellent race craft on Sunday.
“Everyone in the sport would agree it is impossible not to like Yuki; his personality is infectious, and he has become a very special part of the Red Bull family. On behalf of everyone at Red Bull, I thank him for what he has contributed so far and we know he will provide invaluable support to the 2026 projects moving forwards.
While Tsunoda’s departure from Red Bull represents the loss of an established F1 talent, a new prodigy has joined the grid as part of the reshuffle. 18-year-old Lindblad will partner with Liam Lawson at the Faenza-based Racing Bulls in 2026.
The teenager will become the sixth British national on the grid next year, joining Lando Norris, Lewis Hamilton, George Russell, Oliver Bearman and Thai-British racer Alex Albon.
“I’d like to thank everyone at VCARB for the opportunity,” Lindblad said on Tuesday. “Since I started this journey at five years old, it was always my goal to be in Formula One, so it’s a proud moment to take this step.
“I’m extremely grateful to the Red Bull Junior Programme and my personal team for their guidance, mentorship and belief; none of this would have been possible without their support. 2026 will be a big challenge, and I know there’s a lot to learn, but I’m ready to work closely with the team and rise to it. I can’t wait to get started, it’s going to be an exciting year.”
