Crimson Bull have admitted that Yuki Tsunoda’s performances are nonetheless “not adequate” as a choice on their 2026 driver line-up looms.
Tsunoda has loved a breakthrough in his performances since Azerbaijan and scored factors within the dash race and fundamental grand prix final weekend in the US by ending seventh in each occasions.
However Tsunoda continues to be working a great distance off the requirements set by teammate Max Verstappen, who dominated in Austin to assert his third victory up to now 4 races.
Verstappen out-qualified Tsunoda by virtually eight tenths and completed almost a minute forward of the Japanese driver at the US Grand Prix.
Crimson Bull are anticipated to make a remaining name on who will associate Verstappen subsequent season following this weekend’s Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix.
“We all the time need extra. I am not going to inform you it is adequate since you are proper in quoting your numbers,” Crimson Bull workforce principal Laurent Mekies mentioned of Tsunoda’s present type.
“I am not going to inform you that it is adequate, no person looks like that, Yuki would not really feel like that. All I am saying is that it is two races within the factors, it is two excellent begins, it is two excellent first laps, and it is a development in comparison with what has been proven to this point this yr.
“Is it adequate? No, I might lie if I used to be telling you that – and extra so Yuki wouldn’t be glad if I used to be telling you that is adequate.”
The place will Yuki Tsunoda find yourself?
Tsunoda had weekend in Austin
Tsunoda is anticipated to get replaced by Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar, who has loved a powerful rookie season.
The place Tsunoda finally ends up subsequent yr stays unclear.
He might return to sister workforce Racing Bulls, both again alongside Liam Lawson, or Arvid Lindblad, who has been tipped to be promoted from Formulation 2.
Both approach, Tsunoda is ready to finish the remainder of the 2025 season with Crimson Bull.
“I feel there’s a function [for Tsunoda to play],” Mekies added.
“A, as a result of there may be nonetheless a constructors’ championship dialogue – clearly not for the win, however for the opposite features. So we want Yuki.
“And B, the quicker Yuki is, the extra we are able to cut up the assessments throughout the automobile.
“We advised you a few occasions this weekend – ‘we take a look at this with that automobile, we take a look at this with the opposite automobile’.
“So it is essential for us to have a really quick Yuki. And when it comes to supporting conditions and battling and technique, it is usually potential that with Yuki selecting up, we are able to at some stage be able the place we battle two in opposition to two.”
