[Saba Sports News] Although he has lost his official driver seat, Yuki Tsunoda has not completely said goodbye to the F1 scene. F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali recently stated that Tsunoda needs to stay in shape and be mentally prepared, as he must seize any opportunity that arises. This statement leaves room for imagination regarding the potential return of the Japanese driver in the 2026 season.
After losing his official driver seat for 2026, Tsunoda did not hide his disappointment and anger. He frankly expressed that he feels very let down, mentioning that he had received invitations from other teams but had little room to maneuver due to his contract with Red Bull. Ultimately, he chose to remain within the Red Bull system, serving as a joint reserve driver for both the Red Bull Racing team and the AlphaTauri team.
In my opinion, the reason Red Bull has not completely given up on Tsunoda is that he is one of the few drivers who truly understands the characteristics of both the Red Bull Racing team and AlphaTauri cars. Although the 2026 cars will undergo a complete overhaul, becoming lighter and shorter while introducing active aerodynamics, his understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of both teams’ past cars continues to hold significant reference value.