Red Bull Racing’s senior advisor, Helmut Marko, has confirmed that Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda will remain as Max Verstappen’s teammate for the remainder of the 2025 Formula 1 season. The announcement puts an end to speculation about potential driver swaps following Tsunoda’s mid-season promotion to the senior Red Bull team, replacing Liam Lawson after just two races.
Marko’s statement came in the wake of Tsunoda’s debut performance at the Japanese Grand Prix last weekend, where the 24-year-old finished 12th at his home race. Despite failing to score points, Tsunoda showed promising pace at times, finishing just a tenth off Verstappen in Free Practice 1 and maintaining a competitive gap to the reigning champion throughout the weekend. Marko praised Tsunoda’s adaptability to the notoriously tricky RB21 car, which had previously confounded Lawson.
“Yuki has the same preferences as Max,” Marko told reporters. “He rides the car in a similar way, and we believe he can do the job. He will stay with us until the end of the season to prove he is the ideal teammate for Max going forward.”
The decision to stick with Tsunoda marks a shift in Red Bull’s driver strategy for 2025. After Lawson struggled to match Verstappen’s pace in Australia and China, the team made the bold move to promote Tsunoda from their sister outfit, Racing Bulls. The swap was initially seen as a gamble, but Marko and team principal Christian Horner have expressed confidence in Tsunoda’s potential to deliver alongside Verstappen, who continues to lead the Drivers’ Championship.
“Yuki showed in Japan that he can get close to Max—two to three tenths in most sessions, which is what we’re looking for,” Marko added. “He made a mistake in qualifying, but his speed is there. We’ll give him the time to settle in.”
Tsunoda’s promotion has been a long-awaited milestone for the Japanese driver, who spent four seasons with Racing Bulls (formerly AlphaTauri) before earning his shot at the top team. His debut weekend at Suzuka, while not yielding points, earned him praise from fans and Marko alike, with the Red Bull advisor noting Tsunoda’s ability to adapt quickly to the RB21’s narrow operating window—a challenge that has plagued the team’s second drivers in recent years.
Team principal Christian Horner echoed Marko’s sentiments, emphasizing the team’s commitment to supporting Tsunoda. “We’re not expecting him to match Max straight away—that’s a tall order for anyone,” Horner said. “But Yuki has shown he can handle the car, and we’ll tweak the setup to suit him if needed. It’s about building his confidence and getting the best out of him.”
The confirmation of Tsunoda’s seat comes as Red Bull looks to solidify their lineup amid a competitive season. Verstappen remains the team’s cornerstone, but the second seat has been a revolving door since Sergio Perez’s departure at the end of 2024. Lawson’s brief stint and subsequent demotion back to Racing Bulls highlighted the difficulty of finding a driver capable of complementing Verstappen’s aggressive driving style.