Fresh twist in Yuki Tsunoda's Red Bull partnership as Honda's Aston Martin switch brings new problem

Yuki Tsunoda’s F1 future took a turn ahead of 2026, as Honda president Koji Watanabe publicly addressed the Japanese driver’s situation following Red Bull’s 2026 driver decisions. With Tsunoda set to move into a test and reserve role and Honda preparing to switch engine partnerships to Aston Martin, uncertainty now surrounds how that long-standing relationship will function going forward.

Tsunoda will lose his full-time race seat in 2026 after Red Bull promoted Isack Hadjar to partner Max Verstappen, retained Liam Lawson at Racing Bulls, and introduced Arvid Lindblad into F1. The decision ends Tsunoda’s run as a regular starter after five seasons with the Red Bull family, which began in 2019 under Honda backing.

From 2026, Red Bull Powertrains will operate with Ford as a technical partner under the new engine regulations. When Watanabe was asked about Honda’s future involvement with Tsunoda, as it shifts works support to Aston Martin, he said (via Autosport Web):

“We will be partnering with Aston Martin from 2026, so we are currently discussing with Red Bull whether Tsunoda can participate in our events as an individual driver, rather than as a Red Bull test and reserve driver.”

While Yuki Tsunoda will remain within the Red Bull structure as a reserve for both teams, Honda has made clear that its support for him has not ended. Koji Watanabe also acknowledged disappointment at Tsunoda losing his race seat but stressed that the decision ultimately rested with Red Bull.

Yuki Tsunoda ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Hungary. Source: Getty

Watanabe also pushed back against the idea that Tsunoda will lose Honda's support just because they are not partnering with Red Bull.

“There isn’t much we can do for Yuki from now on, but as we have done until now, we will just watch over his decision and support him,” Watanabe added. “His career as an F1 driver is not over, so I would like him to first do his job well as a development and reserve driver for 2026 and then look for a way to race again with the Red Bull family. At the same time, I would like him to look for opportunities to race with other teams.”

Such arrangements are not unheard of in F1, with reserve drivers occasionally aligned to multiple teams. However, those situations are usually under teams that share power units, such as Oliver Bearman’s 2024 role across Ferrari-powered outfits. Red Bull supplies only four power units to its senior team and Racing Bulls, limiting Yuki Tsunoda’s long-term role.

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Yuki Tsunoda considered "great project for a Formula E team" according to series co-founder

Yuki Tsunoda of Japan before the F1 Grand Prix of Qatar. Source: Getty

Beyond Formula 1, Yuki Tsunoda is also being linked with Formula E. The series is actively positioning itself for growth ahead of the Gen4 era, and the Japanese driver has already shown interest. He attended the 2024 Tokyo E-Prix and expressed curiosity about driving all-electric cars.

Formula E co-founder Alberto Longo has been open about the appeal of a driver like Tsunoda, particularly given Japan’s importance as a market and the presence of a home race.

“As a promoter of the championship, without a doubt. It’s an important market for us, and we like having local heroes,” Longo told SoyMotor. “I think he has great talent. Whether he stays in Formula 1 or not… he would definitely be a great project for a Formula E team.”

For now, Yuki Tsunoda has made it clear he intends to fight on. With testing for the 2026 season approaching, his immediate focus remains on delivering as a reserve driver and keeping the door to a F1 seat open.

Edited by Riddhiman Sarkar