In the high-tension reality of the
paddock, where seats are scarce and volatile, being sidelined
by a team is often the beginning of the end, but for
Yuki Tsunoda, the 2026 season is not a retirement.
Read more Summit meeting on April 9: it is time to act to save F1 2026
After a whirlwind 2025,
which saw him promoted to the top team
Red Bull Racing before falling victim to the famous “second driver curse,” the Japanese driver is far from
defeated.
Now the team’s reserve driver
while Isack
Hadjar partners with
Max Verstappen,
Tsunoda is a constant and determined presence in the
garage, driven by a single, hopeful mission: to prove
that he deserves to be on the grid.
Staying sharp in
the shadows
While some drivers might
turn to IndyCar or the WEC to maintain their racing
instincts, Tsunoda has deliberately chosen to remain immersed in
the world of F1. For him, being present at every briefing and
observing every technical evolution is worth more than racing for
trophies elsewhere.
“I still want… I’m not giving up
on F1, he told F1.com. Rather than
going to other championships and racing… it’s also
partly beneficial, because it keeps you sharp, but at the same time,
you don’t really know what’s happening in F1.”
This commitment to the “here and
now” of the paddock is accompanied by a physical transformation.
Despite the lack of a guaranteed start on Sunday, Tsunoda has
redoubled his efforts on his physical condition, revealing that he is
actually in the best shape of his professional career.
“I’ve actually prepared a lot
physically for the season, he
added. It’s probably the best shape of my life…
I think physically, in terms of numbers, it’s even
better than last year.”
Read more «He is at a dead end»: Is Carlos Sainz at the end of the road in Formula 1?
Ready because anything can
happen
The life of a reserve driver requires
professional patience and mental balance, between playing the role
of teammate and waiting for a regular driver’s misfortune.
Red Bull management has been clear with Yuki: stay ready, because
in this sport, the status quo can shatter in a single corner.
“I’m definitely happy with
my form, and I just need a few laps for my muscles
to get used to driving again”, Tsunoda admitted.
It’s a unique psychological challenge to
train for a race that might never come, and
yet he remains determined: “Sometimes I feel a bit
weird doing this kind of preparation and training
knowing that I’m not going to race. But anything can happen.
“
This “anything” is exactly what
the Milton Keynes team has prepared him for. Whether it’s a sudden illness
or a strategic change, Tsunoda keeps his visor
down and his focus maximum: “That’s also what
the team told me. I’ve prepared as much as possible, I’m in
better shape, and my mindset is always: ‘If the team
asks me to get on track, make sure to perform’, and that’s
it, just be ready.”
Honda’s Joker
While the current lineups of
Red Bull and Racing Bulls seem stable for now,
Tsunoda knows that destiny in F1 is often decided at 320 km/h. He
isn’t just waiting: he’s preparing for the moment the
phone rings and the world realizes that Tsunoda
never really left.
His return could also be facilitated by Honda within the
Aston Martin F1 setup, but not before 2027 when Fernando
Alonso retires, triggering movements in the
driver market.
Read more Haas F1 fourth in the constructors’ championship: David vs. Goliath