Montreal — Following the announcement by RB on Saturday that it has exercised an option in his contract, Yuki Tsunoda will stay with the club in Formula One for the 2025 season.
Tsunoda, 24, was out of contract with RB, Red Bull Racing’s sister team, at the end of the year, but has impressed with a series of consistent performances through the current season.
Tsunoda stated on Thursday in Montreal that staying a member of the Red Bull family would be his first aim for 2025, but he also acknowledged that other teams have expressed interest in him.
Shortly before the Canadian Grand Prix qualifying session began, RB announced that Tsunoda will be staying with the team through 2025 as a result of the team activating an option in his contract.
Tsunoda said in the announcement that it was a “good feeling to have my future decided so early in the year.” The Japanese driver has typically had to wait until fall to learn of his plans for the following F1 season. But in what is already proving to be a fluid driver market for 2025, the team moved sooner to lock him in for next year.
Tsunoda’s five-year contract with the RB club is assured by the news. He is now on pace for his best F1 season to date with 19 points, surpassing his total from the previous two campaigns.
It now means three of the four Red Bull team seats are confirmed for 2025. Red Bull Racing announced on Monday that Sergio Pérez would be staying put for next year alongside Max Verstappen, who has a contract that runs until 2028.
Why RB opted to stick with Tsunoda
The choice to extend Tsunoda’s contract comes as little surprise.
Tsunoda has continued to improve throughout his F1 career, emerging as a frequent top-10 finisher and has outqualified teammate Daniel Ricciardo 7-1 this year. Tsunoda is consistent, and this is exactly what RB needs as it continues its rebuild.
During the season introduction earlier this year, RB team CEO Peter Bayer stated unequivocally that the squad’s goal is to become “a challenger on the grid at the top of the midfield.” Tsunoda is a part of the answer, given his five top-10 results over the previous eight races and his 19 points out of RB’s 24 total.
“As the saying goes, ‘never change a winning team’, so we are delighted to confirm Yuki as part of our future,” Bayer said in the announcement. “He is a valuable asset on and off the race track, as his engaging nature has made him very popular with fans around the world.”
Peter Bayer, the CEO of the RB club, stated clearly at the start of the season earlier this year that the squad’s goal is to become “a challenger on the grid at the top of the midfield.” Tsunoda is part of the answer, as seen by his five top-10 results over the previous eight races, where he has scored 19 of RB’s 24 points.
Given the performance growth and maturity, it begs the question of whether he will get a chance with the leading team in the future, particularly in light of Pérez’s new two-year deal.
Where does this leave Daniel Ricciardo and Liam Lawson?
While Tsunoda’s confirmation came as little surprise, there is now set to be increased focus on the second seat that is currently occupied by Ricciardo.
Despite his poor results this year, the eight-time grand prix winner was formerly thought to be a possible replacement for Pérez if he moved up to Red Bull in 2025. Ricciardo’s solitary victory came in the sprint race in Miami. He is yet to gain a point in a Sunday grand prix.
Although Ricciardo has made it clear that his goals for the upcoming season are to improve his performance and stay with RB, Red Bull also has reserve driver Liam Lawson waiting in the wings for a possible return to the racetrack.
Red Bull decided to stick with Tsunoda and Ricciardo at RB in 2024, despite Lawson’s impressive five-race cameo with the team last year when Ricciardo was sidelined due to injury.
(Photo: Alessio Morgese / NurPhoto via Getty Images)
