Daring driving, radio rants and paddock pals – Yuki Tsunoda’s F1 career so far as he departs the grid

After five seasons on the Formula 1 grid, it’s time to say goodbye to Yuki Tsunoda…sort of. The 25-year-old will still be part of the Red Bull family in 2026 as a reserve driver, while Isack Hadjar gets a promotion from Racing Bulls and Arvid Lindblad graduates from Formula 2. The Japanese driver’s career so far includes 111 Grands Prix, 124 points and a career-high P4 at the Abu Dhabi 2021 Grand Prix.

With this change in role, it’s the perfect opportunity to explore Tsunoda’s time in F1 so far and what makes him such a fan favourite. Whether it’s his exciting overtakes, expressive radio rants, unmistakable style, or his bromance with Pierre Gasly, Tsunoda made a distinct impact in the world of motorsport on and off the track.

On-track triumphs

Tsunoda’s rise in the racing scene was meteoric, going from Japanese F4 to F1 in under four years. The prodigy coming out of Sagamihara was backed by Honda’s Formula Dream Project in 2016, helping him join the Red Bull junior team and get a seat in the 2020 F2 Championship with Carlin. Tsunoda looked right at home, finishing as the best-placed rookie in third, and claiming three wins, four poles and seven podiums. A clutch performance in the final round in Bahrain gave him enough FIA Super Licence points to join the 2021 F1 grid.

It didn’t take long for Tsunoda to develop a reputation for daring late moves, an aggressive driving style, and impressive raw speed. Franz Tost, his former Team Principal at AlphaTauri, said: “His driving style belongs to the modern driving styles. He knows what he wants – he doesn’t like a car that understeers or when the car washes out at the apex, and he doesn’t care about the rear of the car.” We saw this aggression immediately at the 2021 season opener in Bahrain, as Tsunoda made plenty of moves to claim P9 and points on debut.

The 2022 season was hampered by a severe downturn in pace for the AlphaTauri team, and some bad fortune, but provided valuable experience for the then 22-year-old. In 2023 and 2024, the newly named Racing Bulls began to try out a whole host of new drivers, each one Tsunoda was expected to beat. And he did exactly that, getting the better of Nyck de Vries, Daniel Ricciardo and Liam Lawson in the Drivers’ Standings to keep his spot on the grid. He also managed his best Qualifying at the 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, taking P3 in tricky wet conditions.

Having earned a promotion to Red Bull within two races in 2025, Tsunoda wasn’t able to keep pace with Max Verstappen in the second seat, prompting the hierarchy to look elsewhere for 2026. However, Tsunoda has still had his moments this season, always driving with the type of determination that always draws fans in.

Social butterfly

Arriving on the grid in 2021 as the youngest driver in the field, you might have expected Tsunoda to take time settling into the rhythm of the F1 life – the constant travel, high intensity and the challenge of building relationships in a paddock – but he became a favourite among the drivers just as quickly as he became a favourite with the fans.

Throughout his time at Racing Bulls (formerly AlphaTauri) and this year with Red Bull, Tsunoda has built strong, genuine connections with every team mate he’s shared a garage with – no small thing in a sport where driver pairings can often move in the opposite direction. Whether it’s been working through some challenging weekends or bringing his humour wherever he goes, he’s consistently created a sense of camaraderie in the garage that team mates and crew members alike have spoken warmly about.

However, there was one driver with whom Tsunoda developed an excellent friendship, or ‘bromance.’ Tsunoda and Gasly got on like a house on fire, and in the two years they spent as team mates, they had many iconic moments off the track. Perhaps the most famous moment was the pair singing Adele’s ‘Hello’ in karaoke in Tokyo. While the singing may not be the best, it’s clear how much fun the two of them had at AlphaTauri.

The team’s social media made waves online with their challenges and behind-the-scenes content. Fans enjoyed moments such as Gasly making fun of Tsunoda for getting a speeding ticket, the Frenchman calling Tsunoda ‘Guiseppe’ for an entire year, the guys playing football and video games together, and the pair leaning into their ‘bromance’ at F1 events.

Tsunoda has ended up with a lot of different team mates at Racing Bulls and Red Bull, but he’s had his moments with all of them. He enjoyed playing padel with Verstappen, as well as messing around with him at the Drivers’ Parade in Brazil. Although his time with Hadjar and Liam Lawson was brief, we still got some enjoyable TikToks from the pair. Ricciardo clearly left a lasting impact on Tsunoda, and he posted a heartfelt tribute when the Aussie left the paddock.

It wasn’t just team mates who enjoyed Tsunoda’s infectious energy – the Tokyo native left a profound effect on fans, his crew, and even some celebrities.

Yuki’s special style

Tsunoda has always had a creative streak in him, especially when it comes to his helmet designs. There’s been plenty of eye-catching and meaningful lid designs, including his Honda tribute for the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, his Kabuki-inspired headgear for his 2025 home race in Suzuka, and his collaboration with the video game Valorant for the 2024 race in Spa-Francorchamps.

Although he’s commonly spotted showing off the newest and boldest Red Bull merchandise and team kit, Tsunoda still has his fashionable moments in the paddock. From classic backwards hats to stylish sunglasses, Tsunoda is always looking cool between sessions. He’s pushed the boat out with some double denim looks and graphic tees, and he certainly turned heads at the F1 Movie premiere in New York.

Yuki: Unfiltered

Tsunoda may not have much of a filter, especially on team radio, but being unapologetically himself has endeared the 5ft 3in driver to his many fans. He quickly gained a reputation for expletive rants on team radio, leaving broadcasters scrambling for their bleep censors. But these reactions were honest and gave an insight into the passion Tsunoda has for racing, something he carried into his interviews and media duties.

But this isn’t the end for Tsunoda in Formula 1. We saw what happened when Alex Albon was dropped for the 2021 season – as the Thai driver earned a seat in Williams for the following year thanks to his relentless dedication in the simulator. Bottas also showed how a year as a reserve can reinvigorate a driver, as well as giving plenty of opportunity to complete side quests on social media. With some hard work and a bit of luck, Tsunoda could be back on the grid sooner than you think.