‘I wasn’t super angry’ – Tsunoda ‘understands’ why Red Bull picked Lawson for 2025 promotion

Ahead of his fifth consecutive season with Red Bull’s sister team, Yuki Tsunoda has said that he sees why he missed out on the opportunity to drive for the top team to Liam Lawson, even after his impressive performances in 2024.

After the Milton Keynes outfit settled for third place and subsequently parted ways with Sergio Perez at the end of last season, the Honda-backed driver looked to be one of the favourites to make the step up.

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However, the team elected to give Lawson a shot after he impressed over two short stints at Racing Bulls (formerly known as RB) across 2023 and 2024, when he replaced Daniel Ricciardo on both occasions and settled in quickly to score points in three races.

Tsunoda will now partner last year’s Formula 2 runner-up Isack Hadjar, who has been part of the Red Bull Junior Team since 2022 and will join a host of other drivers making their full-time debuts in the top tier of motorsport this season.

Speaking ahead of F1 75 Live, the Japanese racer said: “Last year’s things I’ve already kind of parked and put out of my head, to be honest. At the moment they officially announced it, I didn’t actually feel super angry or disappointed.

“Maybe I was prepared inside my head at some point. In the end, whether I’m at Racing Bulls, VCARB or Red Bull, the things I have to do are the same.

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“I’ve just got to stick to what I’m doing. I understand why they chose Liam. It is what it is – there are things I can’t control. I’ll just keep focused on myself and try to prove myself more.”

Tsunoda achieved his best result in the Drivers’ Standings last season, finishing 12th with 30 points as he seemed to make a significant step forward from his earlier performances, prompting Team Principal Laurent Mekies to label his season “outstanding”.

But with his long-term supporters at Honda due to switch from Red Bull to Aston Martin to coincide with the major regulation changes in 2026, the 24-year-old’s future in F1 is far from decided.

He said: “Maybe our team will change its name again next year so it’s a different team! Let’s see. It depends on my performance.

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“Obviously I would like to stay in this Red Bull family, if it’s Red Bull Racing that’s amazing, if not then I’d still love to be in this part of the team.

“I’ve already been in this team for five years and I feel connected to the people here, which is very important as a driver to develop myself and focus on what I want to do. I feel a lot of support from them, which means a lot to me. Whatever happens, there can be interesting options.”

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