Ayao Komatsu, the Haas team principal, has refused to rule out a move for Red Bull reserve driver Yuki Tsunoda for the F1 2027 season.<\/p>\n
Tsunoda was demoted to a reserve role by Red Bull at the end of 2025 after a challenging season as Max Verstappen\u2019s teammate.<\/p>\n
Yuki Tsunoda demoted to Red Bull reserve role for F1 2026<\/p>\n
Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google<\/a> to your favourites list for news you can trust<\/p>\n The Japanese driver scored points in his seven of his 22 races as a Red Bull driver after replacing Liam Lawson ahead of his home race at Suzuka, recording a best result of sixth place at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.<\/p>\n Tsunoda has been replaced for F1 2026 by Isack Hadjar, who has secured a promotion to Red Bull\u2019s senior team following an impressive debut season with Racing Bulls.<\/p>\n Haas was linked with a move for Tsunoda in 2024 before Red Bull moved to extend his contract, with the Ferrari customer outfit eventually securing an all-new driver lineup of Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon for 2025.<\/p>\n Yuki Tsunoda eyeing F1 2027 return<\/p>\n F1 2027 driver line-up: Which drivers are already confirmed for the 2027 grid?<\/a><\/p>\n How to become an F1 driver: Money, dedication, talent and more<\/a><\/p>\n Bearman and Ocon, who were separated by just three points in the 2025 drivers\u2019 standings, are understood by PlanetF1.com to be contracted to Haas until at least the end of the 2026 season.<\/p>\n Komatsu has refused to rule out renewing his interest in his compatriot Tsunoda, commenting that Haas\u2019s aim is to put itself in \u201cour best position\u201d to attract drivers for 2027 with a competitive 2026 campaign.<\/p>\n Asked if he would be interested in working with Tsunoda at some stage, he told PlanetF1.com and other media outlets: \u201cI can\u2019t comment on his future. Obviously he\u2019s not our driver.<\/p>\n \u201c2027? I think we have to focus on \u201926 with our drivers and with brand-new regulations.<\/p>\n \u201cI think most of the drivers knew that, obviously, as they wanted to see how \u201926 pans out and they wanted to pick a better team for \u201927.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s why the driver market is going to be so open for \u201927.<\/p>\n \u201cSo to put ourselves in a better position, our best position, the important thing is we\u2019ve got to have a competitive \u201926 season.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s our focus.\u201d<\/p>\n One potential hurdle to a Haas future for Tsunoda is his relationship with long-term backer Honda.<\/p>\n Haas entered a technical partnership with Honda\u2019s Japanese rival Toyota in October 2024, marking the manufacturer\u2019s return to F1 activities for the first time since it withdrew from the sport at the end of the 2009 season.<\/p>\n The burgeoning bond between Haas and Toyota has been strengthened further for the F1 2026 season with the team officially renamed TGR [Toyota Gazoo Racing] Haas F1 Team.<\/p>\n Tsunoda\u2019s links to Honda saw him persistently linked with a switch to Aston Martin, which has entered a technical partnership with Honda for F1 2026, last year.<\/p>\n However, Aston Martin went on to sign Jak Crawford as its third driver for the new season following Felipe Drugovich\u2019s switch to Formula E.<\/p>\n Speaking at the 2025 season finale in Abu Dhabi, Tsunoda admitted he was \u201cdisappointed and p*ssed off\u201d by Red Bull\u2019s decision<\/a> to demote him for 2026.<\/p>\n And he hinted that his contract with Red Bull had prevented him from exploring opportunities with rival teams.<\/p>\n He told PlanetF1.com and other media outlets:\u00a0\u201cI didn\u2019t have options. My contract was there [Red Bull] so I couldn\u2019t do much.<\/p>\n \u201cI had a couple of interests externally, but my contract doesn\u2019t really allow me to talk a lot with them.<\/p>\n \u201cSo that\u2019s why I was really focused on Red Bull.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd anyway, it was my priority for the last few years, the Red Bull family, because this is where I grew up.\u201d<\/p>\n Additional reporting by Mat Coch and Thomas Maher<\/p>\n Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp<\/a> to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.<\/p>\n You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel<\/a> for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!<\/p>\n