Honda has stated that Tsunoda can compete for either Cadillac or Haas.

Honda has stated that Tsunoda can compete for either Cadillac or Haas.

      "Yuki will continue to race for Red Bull until the conclusion of this season."

      Honda will not prevent Yuki Tsunoda from joining a Formula 1 team that is not affiliated with them next year. Given that Honda will not be supporting or sponsoring Red Bull in 2026 and beyond, it appears more likely that the struggling Japanese driver will stay with the energy drink company next year. Honda, which is shifting its works support to Aston Martin, has Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll set for their cockpits in 2026. Tsunoda has been mentioned as a candidate for a reserve role at Aston Martin, but Koji Watanabe, president of Honda Racing Corporation, believes there is a chance he will remain with Red Bull. "There are no discussions about a change," he stated to the specialized Japanese outlet as-web.jp.

      Similar to Liam Lawson and Sergio Perez, Tsunoda has faced significant challenges in matching Max Verstappen's pace and results this season. "Based on the results observed externally, my honest impression is that they are struggling more than we anticipated," admitted Watanabe. "However, after maintaining contact with Yuki and hearing his perspective, it seems he has a more positive outlook than we realized. If the car’s competitiveness can be enhanced and opportunities can be seized, I believe they can still perform well. To support that, we at HRC will continue to provide our full backing as always."

      Nonetheless, Honda’s support for Red Bull will completely cease after the season finale in Abu Dhabi. Some speculate that Red Bull might preemptively replace Tsunoda with Isack Hadjar during the upcoming August break. "First of all, there have been no discussions regarding a change during the summer break," Watanabe asserted. "What we are hearing is that just because his performance is slightly lacking, they will not begin discussions about a change immediately; they will adopt a long-term perspective. I am aware of various rumors, but I confirmed with the team that fundamentally Yuki will race for Red Bull until the end of this season. And if he can secure results in the latter half of the season, I believe that will open up possibilities for his future."

      If Red Bull does drop the 25-year-old Tsunoda and he doesn't move to Honda-powered Aston Martin, he is already being connected to a potential transition to Cadillac. When asked if the idea of Tsunoda driving a Ferrari-powered Cadillac concerns Honda, Watanabe stated, "No, it’s not." Another rumor associates Tsunoda with Haas, who are fostering an increasing relationship with Honda's main competitor, Toyota. When inquired if that could pose an issue for Honda, Watanabe replied, "There’s no problem. It’s not Team Toyota."

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