Yuki Tsunoda 2026: Reserve Driver for Red Bull Racing

Few F1 stories have taken as many twists as Yuki Tsunoda’s. Promoted to Red Bull Racing in April 2025 ahead of his home Japanese Grand Prix, the 25-year-old now finds himself relegated to a reserve role for 2026 — a career shift that’s as surprising as it is revealing about the sport’s driver market.

Age: 25 (born May 11, 2000) · Height: 159 cm · F1 team (2025): Red Bull Racing → Reserve 2026 · Salary (estimated): $1–2 million annually · Instagram followers: 4 million

Seven biographical data points, one pattern: Tsunoda’s route to F1 relied on Honda’s support, not family wealth — a contrast to many peers.

What’s happening to Yuki Tsunoda?

The short answer: Yuki Tsunoda will not race in Formula 1 in 2026. After being promoted to Red Bull Racing in April 2025 — replacing Liam Lawson who struggled in the first two rounds (ESPN (sports news outlet)) — Tsunoda drove the rest of the 2025 season for the senior team. But in late 2025, Red Bull informed him that he would become the team’s reserve driver starting 2026, with Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar taking the race seats (The Race (specialist F1 outlet)).

Is Yuki Tsunoda no longer an F1 driver?

He is still an F1 driver contractually, but without a race seat. The official Formula 1 website confirmed he will perform reserve duties for both Red Bull and Racing Bulls, taking part in debriefs, simulator work, and serving as an extra set of eyes and ears at the track (Formula1.com (official F1 site)). Tsunoda himself described the news as “surprisingly okay” and said “I felt normal” (Formula1.com).

What happened in Yuki Tsunoda’s career?

Tsunoda started karting at age 9 and caught the attention of Honda’s Formula Dream Project in 2016, receiving backing through his single-seater debut (Motorsport.com (motorsport news)). He joined the Red Bull Junior Team in 2019 (Motorsport.com), raced in FIA Formula 3 in 2020, and made his F1 debut with AlphaTauri in 2021. After five seasons with the junior team — renamed Racing Bulls in 2024 — he earned the Red Bull promotion in 2025.

Bottom line: Tsunoda’s career trajectory is a case study in corporate driver politics. For Honda, which still backs him, the reserve role creates tension with Red Bull’s Ford partnership. For Tsunoda, the only path back to a race seat is a vacancy at either Red Bull or another team.

What is Yuki Tsunoda’s salary and net worth?

Exact figures are not public, but estimates place his annual salary before 2026 in the $1–2 million range — modest by F1 standards. His net worth is estimated between $5–10 million, accumulated from racing contracts and endorsements. A promotion to Red Bull would normally boost earnings significantly, but because he is now a reserve driver, salary negotiations for 2026 are uncertain. According to Honda executive Watanabe, contract talks regarding Tsunoda’s 2026 role with the engine manufacturer were still ongoing and no agreement had been finalized (Motorsport.com (motorsport news)).

What is Yuki Tsunoda’s net worth?

Based on career earnings and limited endorsements, Tsunoda’s net worth is widely estimated at $5–10 million. This includes his salary from six F1 seasons and sponsorship deals with Honda and Japanese brands. The figure is not audited or confirmed, but it aligns with typical second-tier F1 driver earnings.

What is Yuki Tsunoda’s salary as an F1 driver?

Tsunoda’s salary during his AlphaTauri/Racing Bulls tenure is reported by media at roughly $1–2 million per year. This is consistent with rookie and mid-field driver pay. Once he moves to Red Bull, even as a reserve, his base salary may stay similar, but bonuses and race-day compensation could change. No official figures have been released by the team.

Bottom line: Tsunoda is not in the same earnings league as top drivers, but his Red Bull affiliation and Honda backing give him a platform that could yield a multi-million-dollar increase if he returns to a race seat.

Does Yuki Tsunoda have a partner?

Tsunoda is reportedly in a relationship with Machi Kuragi, a Japanese model and actress. The relationship has not been officially confirmed by Tsunoda himself, and he generally maintains a low profile about his private life. There is no evidence of a marriage; the term “wife” in search queries is speculative.

Who is Yuki Tsunoda’s girlfriend?

Machi Kuragi is a model and TV personality in Japan. The two have been linked by tabloids and fan accounts, but neither party has made a public statement. This remains an unverified area of his biography.

Does Yuki Tsunoda have a wife?

No. All available information points to Tsunoda being unmarried. The confusion likely arises from the Japanese word for girlfriend being miscommunicated in English translations.

The implication: Tsunoda’s personal life is largely off-limits, and the public should treat relationship claims as unconfirmed until he addresses them directly.

Is Yuki Tsunoda’s family rich?

No. His father worked as a teacher and his mother as a homemaker (Wikipedia (open encyclopedia)). Unlike many F1 drivers who come from wealthy backgrounds, Tsunoda’s career was funded by Honda’s Formula Dream Project starting in 2016. This challenges the stereotype that racing drivers must be born into money.

Who are Yuki Tsunoda’s parents?

His father was a schoolteacher; his mother stayed at home. There are no public records of them being wealthy. Tsunoda has credited his parents with supporting his early racing dreams, but the financial engine was Honda.

What is Yuki Tsunoda’s career timeline to 2026?

• 2000 – Born in Sagamihara, Japan.
• 2009 – Began competitive kart racing.
• 2016 – Joined Honda Formula Dream Project.
• 2019 – Became Red Bull Junior Team member.
• 2020 – Raced in FIA Formula 3, finished 10th.
• 2021 – F1 debut with AlphaTauri.
• April 2025 – Promoted to Red Bull Racing ahead of Japanese GP (ESPN).
• December 2025 – Notified by Helmut Marko that he would be reserve driver in 2026 (ESPN).
• 2026 – Takes up reserve duties for Red Bull and Racing Bulls.

Bottom line: In less than two years, Tsunoda went from junior-team driver to Red Bull promotion to reserve — a stark reminder that F1 driver careers can pivot on a single team decision.

Nine biographical specs, one contrast: Tsunoda’s physical stature is often mentioned, but his racecraft has consistently outperformed expectations.

“F1 is my life.”

— Yuki Tsunoda, after being told he would be a reserve driver in 2026 (Formula1.com)

“Surprisingly, it was okay… I felt normal.”

— Yuki Tsunoda, on hearing the reserve-role confirmation (Formula1.com)

“He was p—-ed off, understandably.”

— ESPN report on Tsunoda’s reaction to being dropped (ESPN)

For Tsunoda, the 2026 season is a waiting game. If either Red Bull or another team needs a replacement mid-season, he will be the first call. But without a full-time drive, his momentum stalls. For Honda, the decision to keep him as one of their drivers while Red Bull uses Ford engines creates an unusual partnership puzzle. The path back to the grid depends on a teammate’s underperformance or a team switch — scenarios that are unpredictable at best.

Related reading

• Grand Prix Melbourne 2026
• Neymar Jr: World Cup 2026 Chances, Children & Rumors