Yuki Tsunoda endured a grueling 2025 season, revealing the mental toll of chasing Max Verstappen while fighting for survival in the midfield.
Season‑Long Struggle in the Shadow of a Champion
Tsunoda’s campaign started mid‑season after joining Red Bull Racing as a replacement for the injured Nico Hulkenberg, driving the newly introduced RB21 that he had never tested. The RB21’s unfamiliar aerodynamics and the team’s evolving strategy left him unable to extract the pace that the car required, and the performance gap between him and Verstappen grew. A back‑to‑back 17th‑place finish in the drivers’ standings and a 31‑point deficit to the world title for Verstappen painted a stark picture of the pressure Tsunoda faced.
In the August podcast episode of Beyond The Grid, Tsunoda opened up on how the too‑rigid schedule drained his energy. He recounted that even simple pleasures – proper nutrition, leisure time – could no longer recharge him after a series of demanding race weekends. “I realized I was no longer enjoying the sport as once I did, especially after the first three years,” he said, emphasizing the psychological strain mid‑season, “and I began to question whether I could maintain this cycle of exhaustion.”
Support Structures and Mental Resilience
Despite having professional help – psychologists and a personal trainer – the hectic calendar left limited windows for coping mechanisms. Tsunoda described how the gasping rush of competing for every point in resource‑tight environments created a cycle where each race felt like a treadmill. He found that living abroad, far from his familiar support network in Tokyo, intensified feelings of isolation, “I hadn’t considered this until I was away from Japan, and not thinking about supporting choices I had made since F3.”
Seat Loss and Unexpected Redemption
After the opening of the 2026 season, the RB21’s driver seat was reclaimed by newly promoted Isack Hadjar. Tsunoda was subsequently relegated to Racing Bulls, but a wrist injury to Hadjar during the Summer Break created a vacancy that Tsunoda filled. He claimed the seat after Lawson filled Hadjar’s spot, allowing him to re‑enter the grid for the final three Grands Prix of 2025, starting with Zandvoort.
Facing fresh challenges – adapting to a different car and a venue with a spring qualifying format – Tsunoda reflected that the pressure was now manageable: “When I was in that car, the V-CARB team was performing well and finishing in the top five for the team championship. The enormity of the race ensued, but I experienced less anxiety since the season had proven how difficult the load could be.”
Looking Ahead: Competiteness Without Dark Clouds
With the 2025 hardship behind him, Tsunoda hinted he would treat future struggles differently. He foresaw that “the rigours are inevitably there, but lacking the same intensity of emotional binge from earlier races, I am better equipped to thrive under pressure.” Whether future season setings will test him to the extent that 2025 did remains uncertain, yet he pled not to repeat last year’s outcome.
Broader Mid‑Seat Landscape at Red Bull and Beyond
Red Bull’s second seat has historically seen short stints: Pierre Gasly, Alexander Albon, Sergio Perez and Liam Lawson. All faced persistent performance gaps against Verstappen over varying lengths of service. The collective span of these drivers — from short weekends to multi‑year tenures — illustrates how the Red Bull battle arena demands sustained competitiveness or eventual replacement. Tsunoda’s experience confirms the high stakes for those trying to hold ground beside a dominant teammate.
In the evolving 2026 landscape, Red Bull Racing’s strategic focus might include re‑evaluating how to support its midfield drivers, ensuring that mental resilience becomes part of the racing toolkit, not an afterthought.
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