Yuki Tsunoda makes Red Bull 'pressure' claim after F1 seat loss

Yuki Tsunoda has claimed he was not "influenced" by mental or external "pressure" at any point during the 2025 F1 season, which ended with him losing his Red Bull seat for next year.

Tsunoda will serve as Red Bull's reserve and test driver in 2026 after being replaced by Isack Hadjar, who has been promoted from Racing Bulls.

It has been a challenging year for Tsunoda, who himself was promoted to Red Bull after just two races to partner Max Verstappen.

Liam Lawson initially started the campaign alongside the Dutchman, but it quickly became clear to Red Bull's senior figures that a mistake had been made.

Unfortunately, Tsunoda failed to make the second seat his own, suffering several Q1 and Q2 eliminations in qualifying.

Crucially, points were rarely scored by the 25-year-old, who finished last season 17th in the drivers' standings.

However, despite the disappointment of losing his seat, Tsunoda regards the year as highly important for his career, with pressure having not been an issue.

"I think this was the year I grew the most – as a person and as a driver," Tsunoda told the Japanese branch of DAZN. 

"Mentally, I made great strides. It was an intense year. In terms of emotional control, I was able to reset myself, no matter what happened. 

"I was able to stay focused on my performance and deliver. I didn't let myself be influenced by mental or external pressure, thanks in part to the support of my manager and coach."