Honda letting go of Tsunoda? 'There's not much more we can do for him'

Is Honda slowly moving away from Yuki tsunoda ? The latest media release by Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) president Koji Watanabe does not bode well for the Japanese driver. Indeed, the Japanese firm recalled that it had very little influence on the career of the current Racing Bulls driver and that it could not do much to help Yuki Tsunoda in the rest of his adventure in Formula 1. Statements that come at the dawn of the fifth season of the n°22 in Formula 1, still within the team of Faenza (a record for the team since its acquisition in 2006), and especially at the dawn of his last year of contract with the Italian team and the family Red Bull.

"He [Tsunoda] has to act for himself. I want him to make the best choices for himself. He is now in his fifth year, he has the ability and understands the world of F1 well. There is not much more we can do for him, recognizes Koji Watanabe, who believes that his protégé must now take off alone in F1. He needs to consolidate his entourage, including his manager, and get the necessary seat. He is a professional, after all. Riders can't always rely on Honda. Someone at Tsunoda's career level has to think for himself. He has a sponsorship deal with us. He's basically an independent rider, but we support him as a sponsor."

A blocked horizon in 2026 for Tsunoda

Supported by Honda since 2016 through the "Honda Formula Dream Project" program, Yuki Tsunoda has climbed all the ranks of motorsport with the support of the Japanese manufacturer. Recruited within the Red Bull Junior Team, the Japanese driver has remained loyal to Honda and his arrival in Formula 1 was facilitated, in a way, by the engine partnership between Honda and the Red Bull family, initiated in 2018. Unfortunately, since his debut in the premier class at AlphaTauri (now Racing Bulls), the Sagamihara native has never obtained the coveted promotion within the parent team. Last year, Yuki Tsunoda was beaten by Liam Lawson in the race for the second Red Bull seat alongside Max Verstappen, to replace Sergio Perez, despite better performances than the New Zealander.

Koji Watanabe's recent statements only darken Yuki Tsunoda's future in Formula 1. Last December, a few days after announcing Liam Lawson at Red Bull, Christian Horner has opened the door for Yuki Tsunoda to leave admitting that the Japanese's adventure within the Red Bull fold could end at the end of 2025 if the Austrian team does not offer him a promotion by the end of the season. One would have thought, thanks to Honda's support, that Yuki Tsunoda would position himself to land a place at Aston Martin, of which Honda will become the exclusive engine supplier from 2026… but the two seats are already reserved for Fernando Alonso et Lance stroll next year.

The 2025 season has not even started yet and already, Yuki Tsunoda has to think about what he will do and where he will go in 2026. The options available to the Japanese are already very limited: if he is not promoted to Red Bull and has to leave Racing Bulls at the end of the season, few seats are still available for next year. Unless the arrival of Cadillac as the eleventh team on the grid opens up new perspectives for Yuki Tsunoda…

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