Yuki Tsunoda says he’s “pissed off” at having misplaced his Crimson Bull seat to Isack Hadjar on the finish of this season, and believes the tempo he confirmed relative to that of teammate Max Verstappen is one thing he may be pleased with.
Crimson Bull will promote Hadjar alongside Verstappen in 2026, with Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad making up the Racing Bulls line-up and Tsunoda dropping to a reserve position.Tsunoda solely obtained affirmation of the change from Crimson Bull group advisor Helmut Marko on Sunday evening in Qatar, and admitted it hasn’t absolutely sunk in that he’s getting ready for his final race weekend for the foreseeable future on the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
“Clearly I am disillusioned, and pissed off,” Tsunoda mentioned. “It was proper after the race from Helmut [that I was told], privately, that I’m not racing subsequent 12 months.
“Surprisingly I am OK. I imply, not OK, however… the day after, the subsequent morning, I ordered breakfast as standard, identical meals, and possibly I am not recognizing that it will likely be the final race, no less than for subsequent 12 months. So possibly I am going to really feel extra after Abu Dhabi, however that is the way it went and the way I really feel now.”
Tsunoda mentioned he was targeted on attempting to retain his Crimson Bull seat as a result of he contractually cannot transfer elsewhere for 2026, and that he’ll attempt to use his time as reserve as productively as potential.
“I did not have choices,” he mentioned. “The factor is, my contract was there so I could not do a lot inside that. I had a few [expressions of] curiosity externally, however the contract did not actually permit me to speak with them, or no matter. That is why I used to be absolutely targeted on the Crimson Bull seat, and anyway, it was my precedence for the previous couple of years within the Crimson Bull household, as a result of it is the place the place I grew up as nicely.
“I am excited to see from a special perspective, by way of completely different eyes, subsequent 12 months as a result of it is the primary time in my profession that I am not racing. I used to be by no means actually sitting down within the workplace whereas individuals have been racing, so I can not seek advice from it this fashion.
“I can see extra of the view, have [the ability to hear] no matter each driver is doing, so possibly I can be taught plenty of issues that I by no means imagined, so I am excited for that. And in addition I’ll nonetheless attempt to be on this form as a lot as potential each time any alternative comes, I am going to smash it with that chance. So till then, maintain my form good and watch for it.”
Tsunoda was promoted to Crimson Bull to switch Lawson two races into this 12 months after impressing at Racing Bulls, and admitted there may be a part of him that wished he might have continued to carry out with the junior group, even when he believes he matched up nicely in comparison with Verstappen’s tempo.
“The one remorse I’ve is lacking out on that fairly good f***ing automobile within the VCARB,” he mentioned. “But in addition it’s like throwing away your youngsters, your child, as a result of it is the automobile that I developed with the group all through the years since we had these rules, and I am positive there’s my DNA inside it as nicely.
“So clearly lacking out on that and [leaving] with out lastly capable of get within the degree that we wished is one thing that I missed, however on the identical time I do not remorse that call.
“The Imola [crash] is for positive one thing that I look again at that frustrates me lots nonetheless, as a result of the crash I had was very pointless… but additionally for positive, that made me take a again step by way of the elements.
“However on the identical time, should you take a look at the entire season, possibly the second half of the season particularly, should you simply take a look at the results of the place I used to be in Q1 and [Verstappen is] persistently prime three, prime 4, the outcome appeared dangerous, however on the identical time, should you simply see the efficiency aspect, even the instances that I exited in Q1, I can not bear in mind the final time I used to be 4 or 5 tenths behind.
“As soon as I obtained precisely the identical automobile, I used to be very aggressive with him and I believe that is what this (second Crimson Bull) seat was struggling at. And truly I am pleased with myself, how I grew up and the way I improved all through the season.
“Max has been right here for years now. He is aware of about this automobile, plenty of issues. Clearly, I can not deny that he is the very best driver on the grid, however on the identical time, I am comfortable that I can catch up fairly shortly at this degree myself, particularly this very tight area – this 12 months is likely one of the tightest fields in historical past.”
