Honda's "trump card" didn't pan out for Tsunoda.

Honda's "trump card" didn't pan out for Tsunoda.

      "From a competitive viewpoint, the exchange is warranted."

      Red Bull has officially announced a comprehensive revamp of its driver lineup for 2026, which sees Yuki Tsunoda losing his race seat and transitioning to a reserve role with Red Bull-Racing Bulls. Isack Hadjar will join Max Verstappen, while rookie Arvid Lindblad will take Tsunoda's place at Racing Bulls, teaming up with the retained Liam Lawson.

      Auto Motor und Sport provided insights into how Tsunoda's situation was determined and why Honda could no longer safeguard his position. "Honda had been his key asset until the very end," wrote correspondent Joel Lischka. "Red Bull lacked engines for the TPC cars; the latest versions were powered by Honda units. There was a proposal for Honda to sell its engines to Red Bull at a reduced rate if Tsunoda remained in a race seat," he clarified.

      However, Lischka noted that Red Bull eventually "declined the Honda discount proposal." "From a competitive standpoint, the change is justified anyway, as the development potential of the Kanagawa native is limited. Through Liam Lawson, Red Bull is optimistic about achieving a more rapid learning curve."

Honda's "trump card" didn't pan out for Tsunoda.

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Honda's "trump card" didn't pan out for Tsunoda.

Formula 1 | Red Bull has officially announced the anticipated comprehensive revamp of its driver lineup for 2026, resulting in Yuki Tsunoda being replaced in his race position and transitioning to (…)