Yuki Tsunoda’s message to Max Verstappen as Red Bull teammate spell ends
Yuki Tsunoda will drop into a test and reserve role at Red Bull next season.
Max Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda conducted a helmet swap in Abu Dhabi at the weekend, with the messages the two left for each other having been shared.
Tsunoda will drop into a test and reserve role with Red Bull next year, as Isack Hadjar steps up from Racing Bulls to partner the four-time World Champion in 2026.
Max Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda helmet swap messages revealed
Helmet swaps among drivers have long taken place in the Formula 1 paddock as a sign of mutual respect, with Alpine’s Pierre Gasly in particular having been known for looking to swap helmets with his on-track rivals in recent years.
As Verstappen and Tsunoda took in their final race as teammates in 2025, both shared photos of the moment it took place, alongside what was written on their respective visors.
From Verstappen to Tsunoda, a simple ‘Arigato Yuki-san’ [‘Thank you, Yuki’], while Tsunoda wrote on his visor: “Enjoyed a lot being teammate with you. Nice memories. Thanks for the lessons.”
Tsunoda acknowledged his disappointment at missing out on a seat on the F1 2026 grid, and he will continue his work with Red Bull behind the scenes next season.
Having faced the challenge of going up against Verstappen in equal machinery, he admitted he left behind a strong team at Racing Bulls for the move, but knew the scale of the challenge he would be facing against the four-time World Champion.
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“Obviously, I can’t deny that he’s the best driver on the grid,” Tsunoda told PlanetF1.com and others in Abu Dhabi.
“But at the same time, I’m happy that I was able to catch up quite quickly from this level, especially in this very, very tight field, You know, this year is one of the tightest fields in history.”
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