Yuki Tsunoda’s difficult 2025 season with Red Bull is set to end with his contract being terminated – but the Japanese driver will not be replaced by Liam Lawson

13:12, 17 Jul 2025Updated 13:34, 17 Jul 2025

Max VerstappenMax Verstappen’s Red Bull move has taken another twist(Image: Getty Images)

Max Verstappen’s potential move to Mercedes has taken a fresh twist leaving the F1 world agog.

Yuki Tsunoda is rumoured to be on his way out of Red Bull, with Verstappen likely to have a new partner for the 2026 season, assuming he resists overtures from Mercedes and Toto Wolff. And if he was to leave, Red Bull might have to fill two seats

Tsunoda’s 2025 season has been a struggle at best and downright dismal at worst. The 25-year-old has only managed to score points in three Grand Prix weekends, contributing a mere seven to the team’s halfway total of 172.

He joins a growing list of drivers who’ve found themselves ousted from Red Bull’s second seat, following Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon, Sergio Perez and his predecessor, Liam Lawson.

As per a GPblog report, the decision to terminate Tsunoda’s contract at the end of the season has already been made, although he will stay put until then.

F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain - PreviewsYuki Tsunoda could be on his way out at Red Bull(Image: Getty)

With Helmut Marko seizing more control from the departed Christian Horner, Red Bull are expected to scout internally for their next F1 prodigy. This leaves them with just three choices.

One of these is Lawson, who was ejected from his seat after only two Grands Prix in 2025.

The Kiwi had a standout weekend in Austria, finishing sixth after a steady drive, but his consistency hasn’t met expectations, and he’s been regularly outperformed by the man tipped to be Verstappen’s next Red Bull teammate.

F1 Grand Prix of Great BritainIsack Hadjar could become Verstappen’s next team-mate(Image: Getty)

Isack Hadjar has been the talk of the 2025 season, emerging as an unexpected sensation. His spot on the grid came about by chance when Racing Bulls made a last-minute decision to let Perez go, creating an opportunity for Hadjar.

The move to promote him now seems like a stroke of genius, with the newcomer racking up almost as many points as Lawson and Tsunoda put together.

Hadjar himself is intrigued by the prospect of change. “I don’t know what’s going on over there, obviously,” he commented regarding his former Racing Bulls team-mate’s difficulties. “Only thing I can tell is Yuki is very fast.”

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He added: “When I signed the contract with Red Bull four years ago, the goal was to get to Red Bull. So hasn’t changed. It’s definitely interesting. I like to, I would obviously love to, out of curiosity, go and have a look for myself.”

Then there’s the wildcard contender. Arvid Lindblad, 17, completed his first free practice session at the British Grand Prix and has been engaging in extensive TPC sessions behind the scenes, gearing up to emulate Kimi Antonelli’s rapid rise through the feeder series.

Despite his evident skill, there are reservations about Lindblad’s readiness for such a step up. It might be wiser to integrate the young talent into the Racing Bulls fold, allowing him time to settle in, rather than thrusting him straight into the high-pressure environment alongside Verstappen.