Pressure builds on Tsunoda after disappointing Singapore GP qualifying

Yuki Tsunoda suffered a disappointing Q2 knockout in Singapore GP qualifying as the Red Bull driver battles to retain his seat for 2026.

The Japanese driver will start Sunday’s race from P15, with teammate Max Verstappen on the front row and perhaps the strongest competition for Tsunoda’s seat, Isack Hadjar, qualifying a strong P8.

Despite a season-best P6 last time out in Azerbaijan, Tsunoda has scored points in just two of the last ten events and pressure builds on Red Bull to decide who will line up alongside Verstappen in 2026.

Tsunoda appeared to have little confidence in his RB21 during qualifying around the Marina Bay street circuit.

He said: "I just don't have grip, in general. That's it."

Tsunoda's woes were compounded as Red Bull appeared unable to fix an issue with the drink system that blighted him during FP3. Tsunoda said on the radio 'The drink system is horrible. I'm gonna drown!'

Speaking after qualifying he added: "I had water just keep coming out. That was the issue since before, and we tried something to make it better."

Tsunoda will start Sunday's race from P15 and faces an uphill battle to score points around a circuit where it is notoriously difficult to overtake.

He said: "Well, tomorrow is a new day and for points. That's what I'll do and I'll do my best.

"After having a great finish in Azerbaijan, this one wasn't that good."

Tsunoda’s form has been underwhelming since he replaced Liam Lawson at Red Bull ahead of April’s Japanese GP.

In the 15 events he has driven for the team this season, Tsunoda has scored just 17 points and sits down in P17 in the drivers championship. By comparison, teammate Verstappen has four race wins and 255 points to his name.

The RB21’s performance has been up and down in 2025. Between Monaco in May and Hungary in August, Tsunoda failed to score a single point while Verstappen suffered an unprecedented run of eights races without standing on the top step of the podium.

But as the RB21 has delivered back-to-back wins for Verstappen in the last two races, expectation builds on Tsunoda's form to follow suit.

In July Red Bull confirmed that Verstappen would stay with the team for 2026, but their second seat is still to be decided.

Racing Bulls rookie Hadjar appears to be the most likely challenger for Tsunoda's Red Bull seat in 2026.

The 21-year-old Frenchman has impressed many in the paddock this year and a podium at the Dutch GP underlined his ability to consolidate promising pace into a significant points haul.

Bouncing back after a worst-case-scenario DNS at the first race in Australia, Hadjar sits in P9 in the championship on 39 points.

Red Bull hinted that changes could be made to their driver lineups next season as Helmut Marko recently suggested that the 2026 regulation change provided a good opportunity for change.

He said: “Of course, these ground effect cars are very special and, through the regulations, it will be a completely new sort of driving.

“You have to use a lot of your brain for the recovery system. So I think it’s a good move, it’s a good time for a move.”

Both seats at Racing Bulls are currently available as Tsunoda and Racing Bulls drivers Hadjar and Lawson wait for a decision on their F1 futures.

Red Bull could choose to opt for promising talent in F2 instead. Red Bull junior driver Arvid Lindblad has picked up two wins in F2 this season and has participated in FP1 ahead of the British GP.

While Helmut Marko recently affirmed GPblog’s report that released McLaren junior Alex Dunne is also on their radar.

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