Yuki Tsunoda is gearing up to get back behind the wheel of a Formula 1 vehicle during a demonstration event in San Francisco. The Red Bull test and reserve driver will be accompanied by notable figures such as former F1 and rallycross competitor Scott Speed, off-road racer Mitch Guthrie, and freestyle motocross athlete Aaron Colton. Tsunoda will pilot the iconic RB7, which clinched two championships in 2011.
Expressing his eagerness, Tsunoda remarked, “I can’t wait to get back behind the wheel of an F1 car, and to do that in [the] RB7 in San Francisco will be amazing. I’m really looking forward to getting out there, doing some donuts and making some real F1 noise in front of the crowds.” His enthusiasm for the event is palpable.
Having lost his full-time F1 position at the conclusion of the 2025 season, Tsunoda remains a vital part of the Red Bull family as he embarks on his sixth year with the team. He made his debut in 2021 with AlphaTauri, which is now branded as Racing Bulls, and continued with the sister team until stepping in for Liam Lawson before the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix.
Initially, Tsunoda had until the end of the 2025 season to demonstrate his worthiness for a contract renewal. Ultimately, however, Red Bull decided to shift the 25-year-old to a test and reserve role, promoting Isack Hadjar from Racing Bulls to partner with four-time champion Max Verstappen.
Laurent Mekies, who took over as Red Bull team principal in July 2025, elaborated on the challenging nature of the decision. He stated, “It has been a very difficult decision to take. The second seat at Red Bull is not an easy one. We have a tough car to drive. And of course, we have tried everything we could to support Yuki.”
Mekies further added, “At some stage, we had to make the difficult call between where we were seeing that going for the following years.” Reflecting on Tsunoda’s potential, he expressed hope for further opportunities for the driver, noting that he would serve as the reserve driver next season. “You never know what’s going to happen. We have been quite famous in making fairly swift driver decisions in the past,” he remarked.
Recalling a pivotal moment, Mekies noted, “At the end of the 2024 season, Yuki was driving very well. It was very difficult for him to digest. Liam was getting the promotion in Red Bull Racing. He went into the winter thinking, was he going to get the chance one day or not?”
Mekies concluded with a positive outlook, stating, “He came back, and we set ourselves with the team at the time the objective to maximise everything — to shoot for the stars. Three races after, he was driving in that Red Bull team. So you never know what the future holds. I’m sure everyone in this room and beyond has experienced setbacks — sometimes hard setbacks. That’s a setback for him. But I am confident that he has a lot in him that will allow him to have another opportunity.”
