Red Bull driver Yuki Tsunoda hit out at the preferred treatment for Max Verstappen

Yuki Tsunoda has pointed the finger at former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner for making his 2025 campaign “particularly difficult” through a decision to channel all development resources towards Max Verstappen.

The Japanese driver was promoted to partner the Dutchman following Liam Lawson’s demotion after just two rounds, yet found himself racing with inferior machinery for much of the year.

Horner’s strategy saw Verstappen receive priority on performance upgrades whilst Tsunoda was left running older components, a situation the 25-year-old believes significantly hampered his ability to compete and prove his worth at the Milton Keynes outfit.

The statistics paint a damning picture of Tsunoda’s tenure alongside the four-time world champion.

Christian Horner has since been sacked by Red Bull

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He accumulated a mere 33 points throughout 22 race weekends, leaving him languishing in 17th position in the drivers’ championship.

Perhaps most strikingly, Verstappen dominated their internal battle, prevailing 25-1 against his teammate in both qualifying sessions and races where both drivers reached the chequered flag.

The contrast with his teammate could scarcely have been starker.

Verstappen claimed eight Grand Prix victories and came within two points of dethroning Lando Norris for the title, despite McLaren possessing the superior package for the majority of the campaign.

Tsunoda articulated his frustrations in an interview with DAZN, describing the competitive landscape he faced.

“I think it was the tightest season in the history of F1,” he said.

Red Bull driver Yuki Tsunoda hit out at the decision to give preferential treatment to Max Verstappen

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REUTERS

“Differences of less than one-tenth of a second can change two or three positions, so the difference in updates can have a big impact.”

The Japanese racer elaborated on how even marginal deficits translated into substantial consequences on track.

“Even a difference of two or three tenths of a second from Max can mean a difference of five to seven places in the rankings, which makes a huge difference in how the results are perceived,” he explained.

“Giving feedback and demonstrating my own value was particularly difficult.”

Max Verstappen has long been the golden child at Red Bull

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Circumstances improved when Laurent Mekies assumed the team principal role and opted to provide both drivers with equivalent specifications.

This shift enabled Tsunoda to secure a sixth-place finish in Azerbaijan and points in both the Sprint and main race at Austin.

Such results proved insufficient to save his career, however.

Red Bull informed Tsunoda before the Abu Dhabi finale that his services were no longer required, with Isack Hadjar elevated to the senior team for 2026.

His path back to Racing Bulls was simultaneously blocked by the promotion of teenager Arvid Lindblad from Formula 2, leaving Tsunoda confined to a reserve driver position.