Yuki Tsunoda on Red Bull chance he thought had gone, Liam Lawson demotion and Max Verstappen challenge

Yuki Tsunoda admits he thought he thought his chance of Red Bull promotion had gone before his surprise call-up to replace Liam Lawson, as he outlined the goals he has been given by his new team.

Tsunoda will make his debut for Red Bull’s senior team at his home Japanese Grand Prix this weekend, little over three months after he was originally overlooked by team chiefs for the more-inexperienced Lawson.

Speaking exclusively to Sky Sports F1 at a Red Bull demonstration event in Tokyo on Wednesday, Tsunoda said he thought his test for the team at December’s post-season Abu Dhabi session had proved to be his final chance.

Asked if he thought the promotion was never going to happen after four years racing for Red Bull’s junior team, Tsunoda admitted: “To be honest, yeah.

“Even when I was reserve driver before for Red Bull Racing this year, 2025, and I was doing seat fitting already before Bahrain testing probably like 10 per cent of myself, inside of my head, was like, ‘what am I doing this seat fitting for?’ You know what I mean?

“I felt like last year’s end of the season was the biggest chance and closest I went throughout my career, and it didn’t happen. So, to me, that was a little bit shocking, I would say, but it is what it is. I just carried focus to perform well in the RB.”

But Lawson’s struggles in the season’s opening two races mean Tsunoda is now getting the chance to drive the RB21 next to world champion Max Verstappen at what is engine partner Honda’s final home race with Red Bull.

Tsunoda’s career has long been backed by the Japanese manufacturer.

Given the circumstances around the unexpected promotion, Tsunoda admits “it’s hard to experience [something] crazier more than this situation in the future” – although he said he was embracing the situation as “I love this challenge” and “I love adventure”.

But while clearly the biggest opportunity of the 24-year-old’s F1 career so far, even Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has regularly described the seat next to Verstappen as the “hardest in F1”.

Tsunoda is the fifth driver to occupy the seat in the space of seven seasons after Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon, Sergio Perez and now Lawson.

“It’s a bit unknown until I hit the track with him, but I’m sure it will be challenging, that’s for sure,” said Tsunoda.

“He’s the greatest driver in the world currently, and we all know that he’s good, but I just build up my pace, you know, and learn as much as possible to him, but a good advantage is, I already experienced five years in RB.”

‘I just had to accept it’ – Tsunoda draws comparison to his disappointment

Asked if he felt for Lawson, who he raced alongside for 11 races at Racing Bulls in 2023-2024, Tsunoda drew comparison with his own disappointment at missing out on the seat to the New Zealander in the first place

“Well, it wasn’t easy as well at the end of last season, but he did his best for sure,” said Tsunoda.

Put to him that F1 was a ‘tough business’, Tsunoda added: “Yeah. Also, we did our best last year at the end of the season and didn’t get the Red Bull ticket, so, that’s fair and I just had to accept it.

“I’m sure he’ll bounce back very strongly. RB is currently in good shape, the people there are amazing, very supportive, so I hope Liam will be back in shape and if all four cars fight in the top 10 that’s probably the best [news] for Red Bull, so we have to bounce back strongly.”

What if Tsunoda struggles like Lawson?

Also speaking to Sky Sports F1 in Tokyo on Wednesday, team chief Horner said Red Bull “need to draw on the experience that Yuki has” amid the admission that the team have “got work to do with the car” that has proved difficult to handle for even four-time champion Verstappen so far this season.

But what if Tsunoda’s adaption to the RB21 proves no swifter or easier than Lawson’s?

Asked if there was not the risk that Tsunoda could struggle in the same way as his short-lived predecessor, Horner replied: “Yeah, there is, but then it points the finger very firmly at the car, and I think that what we have with Yuki is a driver with four-and-a-bit years’ experience that he’s able to draw on, and the engineers will be able to draw on that to help progress the development of the car over the balance of the season.

“For him, it’s a tall order jumping straight into the car but it’s at a track that he knows well and we’ve done it soon enough to have a large enough impact for the rest of the season.”

And whether there be will no further changes in the seat this year, Horner said: “Yuki has done four-and-a-bit seasons in Formula 1. We know his skill set very well, and I think that it will be firmly on us to develop the car to ensure that it’s drivable for both drivers.”

What has Tsunoda been told and what is he targeting at Suzuka?

Unlike Lawson, Tsunoda has not had the benefit of pre-season running in the RB21 and so the first time he will drive the car in real life will be in Friday morning’s two practice session at Suzuka, live at 3.30am and 7am respectively on Sky Sports F1.

Tsunoda, who sampled the car in the team’s simulator before flying to Japan, said he had been given the same targets as Lawson – to qualify as close to Verstappen as possible and back up the Dutchman’s efforts to help Red Bull regain the Constructors’ Championship they lost last year.

“That’s fair. To be as close as much as possible to Max is quite difficult, but at the same time I’ll do my best,” added Tsunoda.

“So far [this season] I’ve been in Q3 all the time and feeling confident with that. Just need to build up the pace, feel the car from FP1 to FP3, it’s not much time, but I know I can do it. Hopefully, I can do more than that.”

And about prospects for his home race, Tsunoda played down any expectations of any instant guaranteed success.

“Not really thinking about [the] podium,” he said.

“It’s a completely different car and there are only three sessions [before qualifying], and I’m sure this beast in the Red Bull car seems like it’s really hard to handle it, so with limited time even scoring points or going [into] Q3 won’t be easy.

“So I’ll just make it step by step and if I score points, I’m happy. I’m sure I’ll build up the pace from Suzuka [in the], coming races onwards.

“But for now, Suzuka, I just enjoy myself and feel the car. Hopefully, I can understand the car almost fully so I can give the feedback more specifically in coming races, for development as well. That’s my main target.”

And in one early potential sign of encouragement, Tsunoda said he actually “used to love” a Red Bull-like oversteering car before arriving in F1 and so was now hoping to “reveal the different side of myself” in the RB21.

“At least in the simulator so far I feel good,” he added.

Thursday April 3

• 5am: Drivers’ Press Conference

Friday April 4

• 3am: Japanese GP Practice One (session starts at 3.30am)*
• 5.30am: Team Principals’ Press Conference
• 6.45am: Japanese GP Practice Two (session starts at 7am)*
• 8.15am: The F1 Show*

Saturday April 5

• 3.15am: Japanese GP Practice Three (session starts at 3.30am)*
• 6am: Japanese GP Qualifying build-up*
• 7am: Japanese GP Qualifying*
• 9am: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook*

Sunday April 6

• 4.30am: Japanese GP build-up: Grand Prix Sunday*
• 6am: THE JAPANESE GRAND PRIX*
• 8am: Japanese GP reaction: Chequered Flag*
• 9am: Ted’s Notebook*

*also live on Sky Sports Main Event

Formula 1 heads to the iconic Suzuka Circuit for the Japanese Grand Prix on April 4-6, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – No contract, cancel anytime