Despite being far less experienced, Red Bull promoted Liam Lawson<\/a>, a decision they reversed just two races into the season after he struggled with the demands of being Max Verstappen\u2019s<\/a> teammate.<\/p>\n So, at the beginning of his fifth season on the grid, Tsunoda finally made his Red Bull debut at his home race at Suzuka.<\/p>\n However, the months following this have been difficult for the Japanese driver, with suggestions that Tsunoda\u2019s F1 future hangs in the balance<\/a>.<\/p>\n RANKDRIVERTEAMPOINTS1Max VerstappenRed Bull252George RussellMercedes183Carlos SainzWilliams154Kimi AntonelliMercedes125Liam LawsonRacing Bulls106Yuki TsunodaRed Bull87Lando NorrisMcLaren68Lewis HamiltonFerrari49Charles LeclercFerrari210Isack HadjarRacing Bulls12025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix results<\/p>\n His sixth-place finish at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix<\/a> was well-timed and much needed, with Liam Lawson<\/a> finishing fifth and Isack Hadjar<\/a> on the podium for the first time a few weeks ago at Zandvoort.<\/p>\n There have been suggestions that Tsunoda and Lawson are battling for a Racing Bulls seat<\/a>, with Arvid Lindblad<\/a> potentially making the step up from Formula 2 over the upcoming winter break.<\/p>\n It now appears as if Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies<\/a> and advisor Helmut Marko<\/a> have different plans for Verstappen\u2019s current teammate ahead of next year.<\/p>\n READ MORE: Red Bull driver Yuki Tsunoda\u2019s life outside F1 from height to parents<\/a><\/p>\n Journalist Matt Majendie was discussing the Tsunoda conundrum on The Inside Track Podcast after Baku.<\/p>\n He explained: \u201cI think he could and probably should have attained P5.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019ll be very pleased with P6. But if you look back on the moves there, then he perhaps should have done that P5.<\/p>\n \u201cYou take away from the weekend, a great result, P6, he\u2019s in the points again, and that was huge.<\/p>\n \u201cBut unfortunately, again, he has a Racing Bulls ahead of him, that\u2019s the problem.<\/p>\n Position Drivers’ Championship PointsPts 1 324 2 299 3 255 4 212 5 165 6 121 7 78 8 70 9 39 10 37 11 32 12 31 13 30 14 30 15 28 16 20 17 20 18 18 19 16 20 0 <\/p>\n \u201cAnd the Racing Bulls ahead of him, it\u2019s not a perfect look. But, they were very, very pleased with his pace.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I find it fascinating because you\u2019ve got sort of Helmut Marko slightly suggesting behind the scenes, it would seem that the Hadjar deal is done.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ve got Mekies saying that\u2019s very much not the case. We are wide open. We\u2019ve got these three seats open with drivers, you know who the drivers are that we\u2019re talking to.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m told the official line is that nothing has been decided. No deal has been done for next season.\u201d<\/p>\n READ MORE: Best moments of Yuki Tsunoda\u2019s F1 career including first points, greatest Grand Prix results and funniest team radio outbursts<\/a><\/p>\n How Helmut Marko reacted to Yuki Tsunoda\u2019s best Red Bull result in Baku<\/p>\n![\"Red](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/GettyImages-2234132337-1-1024x683.jpg\")
Photo by Bryn Lennon \u2013 Formula 1\/Formula 1 via Getty ImagesLaurent Mekies says Yuki Tsunoda decision is \u2018wide open\u2019, but Helmut Marko wants Isack Hadjar<\/p>\n