Red Bull: Perez Extends! Tsunoda Stays at VCARB!

After three seasons with Alpha Tauri from 2021 to 2023, now renamed Visa Cash App RB (VCARB), Yuki Tsunoda has extended his contract to stay with VCARB until the end of the 2025 Formula 1 season. But is this what Yuki wants? Does the young Japanese from Kanagawa, Japan, want to remain in a midfield team fighting for points?

Sergio Perez’s extension with Red Bull

Before the start of the Canadian Grand Prix weekend, it was announced on Tuesday that Red Bull was set to retain their ‘Mexican Minister of Defence until the end of the 2026 Formula 1 season, much to the delight of Sergio Perez and the dismay of the Yuki Tsunoda. However, is this something that Red Bull has overlooked? Potentially, with Sergio’s current run of form performance in the 2024 season so far. His best result was finishing second in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Japan, but mounting no challenge to his team, Max Verstappen, for race wins. Since Miami arrived at the latest race in Canada, Perez has only scored 18 points compared to his teammate, who scored 76 points, with added pressure from McLaren and Ferrari.

As Lewis Hamilton famously said, “We win and lose together.” Perez’s current form does feel like a loss to the team as they need a six-time Grand Prix winner to contest for more points, especially podiums and race wins, to thwart their evergrowing rivals, McLaren and Ferrari. Sky Sports F1 referred to Tsunoda as “never being a serious candidate to drive for Red Bull in 2025.” While it remains true, Red Bull might have cost themselves an opportunity to miss out by overlooking Tsunoda

Yuki Tsunoda’s Contract Extension with VCARB

As the Milton Keynes team solidified their roster for the next two seasons, Visa Cash App RB did the same with Yuki Tsunoda, signing him until the end of the 2025 season. It was announced only 30 minutes into the Canadian Grand Prix Qualifying. Praising the team for the announcement, Tsundoa told Sky Sports F1:

“For that, I want to thank everyone at Red Bull and Honda who has played an important role in my career and will continue to do so. The team has a big development project ahead of us, and I’m excited to participate. It’s great to know that everyone appreciates all the hard work I have put in and that the team believes I can help it move further up the grid.”

So why has Tsunoda’s opportunity to drive for Red Bull been doubted?

To reach Formula One, Tsunoda was involved in the Honda youth driver programme developed by Red Bull and the supplier of the Red Bull and RB engines, but when the new rules of the sport take effect in 2026, Honda will no longer supply the teams. There was speculation that Tsunoda might become a part of the Silverstone-based team in the future due to Honda’s decision not to supply engines to Red Bull and RB but instead to Aston Martin. However, these rumours have not created any fruition.

Perez’s Contract Details is Tsunoda’s Hope for 2026

According to RacingNews365, Christian Horner has gone into more detail about the contract offered to Perez, indicating that he may not be able to stay with Red Bull during the new regulations for the power units and the 2026 season. His contract is referred to as a “1+1=2 contract.” This means they may have been given a contract with a release clause that Red Bull or Sergio Perez can activate if both do not see eye to eye in the future at the end of the 2025 Formula 1 season.

The Main Reason why Red Bull signed Perez and not Yuki Tsunoda

In an interview with Bernie Collins, the main reason behind Sergio Perez’s signing, according to Collins, is to cauterize the team’s stability after the allegations against the Red Bull CEO and Team Principal, Christian Horner, back in March. And also to keep Max Verstappen from departing from the Milton Keynes team for potentially Mercedes.

If you would like to learn more news about the world of Formula 1? Then check out: “CANADIAN GRAND PRIX: SPEED AND EXCITEMENT IN MONTREAL” or “Sergio Perez Signs New Two-Year Deal with Red Bull Racing!”

Image Credit: Red Bull Content Pool