Honda share what Red Bull told them about Yuki Tsunoda and the dreaded F1 axe

Honda has received assurances from Red Bull that Yuki Tsunoda will remain with the team for the rest of the 2025 Formula 1 season, despite his recent dip in form.

Tsunoda was promoted to Red Bull’s senior team from the third round in Japan after original recruit Liam Lawson failed to adapt to the challenging RB21. 

The Japanese driver initially impressed with points finishes in Bahrain, Miami, and Imola, but his performances have since declined, raising questions about his future at the Milton Keynes-based outfit.

However, Honda Racing Corporation President Koji Watanabe insists there is no threat to Tsunoda’s seat in the short term, affirming that the agreement with Red Bull was always to retain him through the end of the season.

Honda have their say on Red Bull's Yuki Tsunoda

'First of all, there is no such discussion [about replacing him during the summer break],” Watanabe told AS Web.

“In the discussions we had with Red Bull in March, we agreed to transfer Yuki to Red Bull on the basis that ‘we will not immediately start discussions about replacing him just because his performance is a little poor, but we will look at him carefully over the long term’. So we don't expect him to be replaced in the summer break.

“I know there have been a lot of rumours, but as I confirmed with the team at Silverstone, where the British Grand Prix was held this time, I want to make it clear that basically the direction is that Yuuki will race for Red Bull until the end of this season.

“I believe that this is an indication of the high expectations Red Bull has for Yuki. Those expectations remain unchanged even now, and if we can achieve results somewhere in the second half of the season, I think our possibilities will expand in the future."

Tsunoda has now gone five F1 races without finishing inside the top 10, allowing even Lawson - now back at Racing Bulls - to leapfrog him in the championship standings.

The 25-year-old’s lack of results have also left Red Bull a distant fourth in the constructors’ standings, with teammate Max Verstappen scoring 165 points out of the team’s tally of 172.

However, while Tsunoda’s dip in form is a cause of concern, Red Bull is also grappling with other issues, including the narrow operating window of the RB21 that has made the car incredibly tricky to drive.

Even Verstappen has struggled with the RB21 in recent races, with the British GP marking a new low point as he finished almost a minute down on race winner Lando Norris in fifth.

Despite that, Watanabe remains confident in Red Bull’s ability to turn around its season and insists Tsunoda must continue to work hard to improve his own form.

"If we look at it positively, I don't think Red Bull will end up like this,” he said. “I believe that they will definitely improve their fighting power and come back.

“I am aware that Red Bull still has things to improve in terms of the car. I have no doubt that Red Bull is one of the top teams.

“So I think the important thing for Yuki now is to continue to challenge in the Red Bull car, which will lead to the next step."

Although Tsunoda is expected to stay on for the remainder of the season, his long-term future remains uncertain. Red Bull’s engine partnership with Honda concludes at the end of 2025, meaning Tsunoda would need to secure a 2026 drive purely on merit.

Honda won’t have the option of placing Tsunoda at Aston Martin, its new partner team for F1’s new era, with the Silverstone-based squad having already locked down Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso for 2026.