Honda won’t “interfere” with Tsunoda’s F1 future amid Red Bull split

Honda Racing Company president Koji Watanabe says Yuki Tsunoda’s System 1 future at Red Bull lies in his personal fingers, with the Japanese model enterprise a brand new mission with the Aston Martin outfit on the planet championship.

Tsunoda has obtained an extended elusive promotion to Pink Bull’s essential staff for the Japanese Grand Prix; the Milton Keynes-based squad made the drastic name of an early-season driver swap with its ‘junior’ staff Racing Bulls after semi-rookie Liam Lawson obviously underperformed within the RB21 over the opening two grands prix of 2025.

Tsunoda’s future with the Austrian model had appeared unsure after he once more didn’t earn a call-up to the Pink Bull outfit for 2025, however he now has an opportunity to show that he may be nearer to team-mate Max Verstappen than the Dutchman’s predecessors.

The 24-year-old is a product of Honda’s younger driver programme, however the Japanese producer is beginning a brand new partnership with Aston Martin for F1’s new technical period in 2026. Nevertheless, Watanabe is adamant that Honda received’t affect Tsunoda’s future at Pink Bull in any means.

“Our partnership with Pink Bull will conclude this yr, so we have now no leverage to strain Pink Bull concerning 2026,” Watanabe mentioned. “He earned his promotion to Pink Bull primarily based on his efficiency, so he should proceed proving himself to stay there within the coming years. A very powerful factor is his personal will – since he needs to proceed with Pink Bull, we have now no purpose to intrude.”

Watanabe additionally clarified that Honda had performed no half in swaying Pink Bull for the driving force swap with Lawson to happen.

“We do not know when or how Pink Bull makes [a given] resolution, so we at all times talk that they need to select the most effective driver,” he insisted. “I’ve excellent communication with Christian Horner, and we continuously talk about not simply driver personnel issues but in addition trackside assist constructions. This time, we didn’t take any particular actions.”

Tsunoda’s first race weekend with Pink Bull occurs to be his and Honda’s residence grand prix at Suzuka, which he describes as very best regardless of potential added strain.

“That is the last word state of affairs,” Tsunoda remarked. “Given the seat swap, there’s naturally strain from Pink Bull, and Honda additionally has robust expectations for his or her residence grand prix.

“This can be a uncommon and distinctive second the place a number of challenges and pressures are coming collectively, and I believe it’s the most effective sort of state of affairs. I don’t know if I’ll ever get to expertise one thing like this once more, so I simply wish to take pleasure in it.”