Just 14 drivers have contracts for the 2026 Formula 1 season, which will feature a 22-car grid, but one is already under pressure to hold on to his seat this year.
Six teams, Aston Martin, Audi, Ferrari, Haas, McLaren and Williams, are not expected to take part in the driver market over the offseason. Alpine, Cadillac, Mercedes, Racing Bulls and Red Bull, however, all have at least one open spot for the 2026 grid.
Alpine might also face a more immediate decision. Franco Colapinto, who took over for Jack Doohan, has two races left on his five-round deal and needs results at the Canadian and Austrian Grands Prix to strengthen his case.
Red Bull could now release Yuki Tsunoda after the 2025 F1 summer break
Red Bull’s upcoming races in Canada, Austria, Great Britain, Belgium and Hungary could be decisive in determining whether Yuki Tsunoda remains with the team beyond the summer break. Only seven races into his Red Bull career, the 25-year-old is yet to make a significant impact.
According to F1 insider Luis Vasconcelos of Auto Action, Tsunoda is “under pressure” to defend his seat, and reports say it wouldn’t be a shock if the team moves on soon. He’s scored just seven points since replacing Liam Lawson.
In seven races, Tsunoda has managed only three top-10 finishes, ninth in Bahrain, 10th in Miami and Imola, plus a sixth-place finish in the Miami Sprint. His current total of seven points has come at a crucial time: Red Bull are still determining whether he’s the right partner for Max Verstappen.
Tsunoda didn’t just land the seat from his time with Red Bull’s junior team, Racing Bulls. He also moved up with significant backing: Honda is reportedly paying Red Bull over £17m to make him Verstappen’s teammate.
Yuki Tsunoda’s lack of points is destroying Red Bull’s F1 constructors’ title hopes
With Red Bull falling to fourth place in the Constructors’ Championship, 218 points behind McLaren, there’s added urgency for Tsunoda to deliver better results.
Red Bull have shown they won’t hesitate to replace underperforming drivers. Pierre Gasly was dropped just 12 races into the 2019 season, with Alex Albon promoted from the junior team to take his place.
Red Bull were already planning to cut ties with Tsunoda after the 2025 season, and he’s only built a stronger case in recent weeks.
Tsunoda had strong support from Red Bull’s top brass when he first took over from Lawson. He made an early impression on the team, with Christian Horner calling him “quite a surprise” and praising his feedback after his first full test run in Bahrain.
Now in his fifth year on the grid and just shy of 100 race starts, Tsunoda still has time to prove his worth. But if results don’t come soon, Red Bull will face mounting pressure to make another change, especially when they’re already down big in the title race.
The post Despite £17m seat deal, Red Bull may release ‘surprise’ F1 driver after summer break appeared first on HITC.
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