Tsunoda reveals how he found out about F1 return at Dutch GP: 'I was at the beach!'
Photo: Race Pictures
10:06, 21 Aug
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Henry Eccles is a freelance Formula 1 journalist for GPblog, covering breaking news, live race blogs, and features across the F1 calendar. Since joining in 2026, he has produced high-volume reporting on the sport’s biggest stories, alongside feature pieces including analysis and historical content.
Yuki Tsunoda has revealed the somewhat unusual circumstances in which he found out about his return to F1 action this weekend. The Japanese driver will fill in to replace Liam Lawson at Racing Bulls, while the Kiwi takes Isack Hadjar's Red Bull seat at the Dutch GP.
Following a wrist injury for Hadjar, the man who replaced Tsunoda after a tough spell at Red Bull in 2025, Tsunoda could not hide his delight to be returning to F1 this weekend, having been "dying" to get back into the cockpit since last year's Abu Dhabi season finale.
“It was a moment I had been waiting for," Tsunoda told GPblog and others. "I was dying to have this kind of opportunity. Obviously, it always depends on the drivers who are competing this year. It wasn’t frustrating or stressful, but watching every race on the screen, I was thinking, ‘Okay, I really want to be back out there driving.’”
While further opportunities for Tsunoda to remain in F1 seem slim for the time being, he revealed he's not giving up hope of a permanent return: "My focus is always on Formula 1. My goal is to be there. But I don’t want to stand in the garage for two years; I want to drive as well. If there's something that didn't potentially happen or couldn't find a seat for next year, I may have to look at other series."
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Tsunoda reveals he was on the beach when receiving Racing Bulls call-up
Photo: Race Pictures
The 26-year-old also detailed how he found out about his surprise return to action this weekend, revealing he'd actually been on a beach in Greece at the moment he received the news. "I was with my manager, also other friends in Greece, spending [time] together, and I was on the beach," he explained.
Eager to emphasise he was not just just "hanging on the beach" before receiving the call-up, Tsunoda added: "I was still training and everything. But at the moment I received a call or I heard from my managers, [I was] at the beach, pretty relaxed, watching the nice, beautiful ocean.
"And I just suddenly got called, ‘Okay, you have to go to the UK.’ I was spending in this place just 24 hours and you already want me to go to the UK. And I was like: ‘Why? Maybe you might race this week. Okay, that's fair.’”
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When asked on how ready he actually is for the weekend ahead, considering he has never raced in the 2026 generation of cars, Tsunoda replied: "Yeah, I mean, physically and in terms of my mind, I think it's sharp enough because I was physically training for almost every day for a long time. And also, actually, this is the only time I’ve had a lot of time to do it because I didn't have anything to do other than that.
"And also, I've done four TPCs, and I've done within that, five races’ distance. So, pretty sharp. I had a good experience with the laps in those TPCs. All I just need to do is to get used to it with this car, which I guess I feel quite a lot different [in].
"And the procedures, I guess, how to start and everything. I think having one free practice with this will be kind of tricky, but that's why I'm not setting any expectations for now. Just to enjoy and just to, you know, have fun, which I wanted to have for a long time."
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Dutch Grand Prix
Overview
Friday 21.08.26
Practice 1
10:30 AM
Sprint Qualification
02:30 PM
Saturday 22.08.26
Sprint Race
10:00 AM
Qualification
02:00 PM
Sunday 23.08.26
Race
01:00 PM
Friday 21.08.26
Practice 1
Fri 10:30 AM
Sprint Qualification
Fri 02:30 PM
Saturday 22.08.26
Sprint Race
Sat 10:00 AM
Qualification
Sat 02:00 PM
Sunday 23.08.26
Race
Sun 01:00 PM
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F1-stand 2026
Season
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | MercedesMER | 219 | |
2 | FerrariFER | 169 | |
3 | MercedesMER | 160 | |
4 | FerrariFER | 138 | |
5 | McLarenMCL | 128 | |
6 | Red Bull RacingRBR | 109 | |
7 | McLarenMCL | 92 | |
8 | Red Bull RacingRBR | 68 | |
9 | Racing BullsRCB | 43 | |
10 | AlpineALP | 42 |
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