Tsunoda admits to 2025 regret: 'I missed a pretty good f****** car'

14:08, 18 Dec

byOlly Darcy

Yuki Tsunoda stated that missing out on driving a "pretty good f****** car" at Racing Bulls was his only regret of the 2025 season.

The Japanese driver started the campaign at the sister team of Red Bull and showed some impressive pace, with a P6 finish during the sprint race at the Chinese Grand Prix highlighting that.

But just two races into the season, Tsunoda's season changed very quickly after he replaced Liam Lawson at Red Bull, with the New Zealander dismissed from the Austrian team after struggling mightily.

Tsunoda then got behind the wheel of the RB21, and his form dropped significantly, scoring just 30 points at Red Bull and finishing P17 in the Constructors' Championship.

Yuki Tsunoda scored 33 points in total to finish P17 in the drivers' standings - Photo: Red Bull Content Pool

"I was saying I didn't have many regrets. I mean, the only regret I have is missing out on that pretty good f**king car at VCARB," Tsunoda said to GPblog and others in Abu Dhabi.

"It is like throwing away your kids, your baby, because it is the car I developed with the team through the years with these regulations, and I am sure there is my DNA inside it as well.

"So, missing out on that and finishing without being able to get to the level we wanted is something I miss, but at the same time, I don't regret my decision [to join Red Bull], I would say."

Tsunoda hints at swift F1 return

A disappointing 2025 season meant that Tsunoda was not chosen to be Max Verstappen's teammate for the 2026 season, resulting in Isack Hadjar being promoted from Racing Bulls to join the Dutchman, while the Japanese driver will take the reserve driver role.

Lawson held onto his seat at the sister team after his demotion early on in 2025, and he will be joined by Arvid Lindblad, who will make his F1 debut in 2026.

However, despite his omission from the grid in 2026, Tsunoda remains optimistic that a return to the pinnacle of motorport will occur.

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