Should Yuki Tsunoda try and land at Aston Martin if a Red Bull seat is unavailable?
Yuki Tsunoda does not yet have a seat contracted for 2026, so what are his options if Red Bull chooses another driver?
With Aston Martin linking up with Honda from 2026 as a factory power unit supplier and Yuki Tsunoda representing the Japanese marque alongside Red Bull, rumours are such that if he does not retain his seat at his current team, a reserve move to Aston could happen – though the team confirmed to PlanetF1.com that the team’s wider driver line-up for 2026 will be announced in due course.
Naturally, our comments section has been filled with many of you weighing in on the subject – so let’s take a look at what you had to say. Remember, if you want your opinions aired in these features in future, email planetf1editor@planetsport.com with the subject line ‘PF1 Postbox’, and you can have your say.
Yuki Tsunoda ‘too good to be a reserve’ at Aston Martin if Red Bull seat lost?
While it is important to stress that no decision has yet been made over Tsunoda’s future with Red Bull, it is also known that Isack Hadjar has been linked with a step up to the ‘senior’ team after impressing in his debut season with Racing Bulls.
Should that mean he is out of a drive, you have had your say on what might happen to Tsunoda, with current Aston reserve Felipe Drugovich having announced he will race in Formula E next season.
Steve Obeda: Aston Martin might be a great spot for Yuki to land. The team is expected to be on the rise. Alonso will want one last chance to drive a car that might run at the front, and Lawrence is also going to give that chance to Lance. But after next year, if Yuki shows that he’s faster, one or the other of those drivers could retire and open up an opportunity.
jnc: Yuki as a reserve driver for AM makes a lot of sense; Honda will be happy.
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Ex Pitlane Monkey: Yuki strikes me as a handy and feisty little driver, maybe too good to be a reserve?
Garee: I think Gasly, Albon, Sainz, Perez are/were better [at Red Bull]. He still has few races to try and impress, but I suspect a reserve drive at least for 2026 isn’t a bad deal for him all things considered.
Roam: I mean he’s at Red Bull because of Honda, it makes sense with Drugovich getting a full time Formula E ride next season, it makes sense Honda would take Tsunoda over as reserve.
For the counter-argument, Tsunoda is in his fifth season in Formula 1 and now has the chance to impress alongside Max Verstappen at Red Bull, with some expressing the belief that he may not be able to continue.
Tyrone Biggs: It would be better for Yuki to look outside F1. He’s a good man, but he’s not a championship winning driver. It’s unfortunate, but Yuki has had his time in F1 and it’s time for him to move on.
MTX: He came with promise but never really managed to show it, sadly. I rate him below both Takuma Sato and Kamui Kobayashi in terms of outright pace from Japan.
Jere Jyrälä: He may have achieved his best result for Red Bull Racing [in Baku], but he was still out-performed by Lawson both in qualifying & the race, not to mention fully on merit, which overshadows his achievement to some extent.
ImsterF1: I said it before. Yuki will be replaced by Hadjar. It seems that second seat since Riccardo left has been a tough one. Only Perez lasted but got dropped in the end. Yuki may get a chance if Lance decides to call it a day.
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