Yuki Tsunoda Returns to Red Bull F1 Car

Yuki Tsunoda returned to the cockpit of a Red Bull F1 car on Tuesday at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. He logged the equivalent of two race distances of the Barcelona track before concluding his outing.

What happened?

Tsunoda, who lost his Red Bull F1 seat at the end of a disappointing 2025 season, was back behind the wheel of the RB21 during a TPC test. He was replaced by Isack Hadjar, who was promoted from sister squad Racing Bulls to become Max Verstappen's next team-mate.

Why it matters for Yuki Tsunoda

Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies said they are happy to give Tsunoda a chance to get back to the car. Tsunoda has done a very good job for Red Bull and is part of the Red Bull family.

What comes next?

Tsunoda is set to make another TPC outing in Austria as part of Red Bull's permitted TPC program. He will continue to work in the simulator and stay fit physically to remain sharp. Tsunoda wrote on X, "Still smiling after two race distances in the Barcelona heat, so good to be back behind the wheel, feels like I never left." Red Bull was among several F1 teams in action in the post Barcelona-Catalunya test, including Ferrari, Cadillac, and Aston Martin. Charles Leclerc, Guanyu Zhou, and Jak Crawford were behind the wheel for their respective teams during Pirelli tyre testing. A second day of Pirelli tyre testing took place on Wednesday, with Zhou staying on for Cadillac and Arthur Leclerc replacing his brother at Ferrari. McLaren also ran reigning Formula 2 champion Leonardo Fornaroli and ex-Manor driver Will Stevens during a TPC test at Monza on Tuesday. Tsunoda's return to the car is a positive step for the 26-year-old Japanese driver, who will look to regain his form and potentially return to a full-time F1 seat.