AUSTIN, Texas — Formula 1 is a sport filled with popular personalities.
Yuki Tsunoda might be at the top of the list.
The Japanese driver is a fan favorite, with fans following his every move both at the track, and on social media. That translates to a strong following from journalists and Tsunoda’s Thursday media session here at the United States Grand Prix is no exception, as it was standing room only in Red Bull’s hospitality space.
Ahead of this weekend’s United States Grand Prix, SB Nation caught up with the Red Bull driver to talk about his 2025 season, answer some questiosn from fans, and what comes next for him as this year draws to a close.
Tsunoda’s 2025 season and the move to Red Bull
Tsunoda began the year driving for Visa Cash App Racing Bulls, but after just two races, the driver received the call he has been waiting for for years.
He was being promoted to Red Bull to drive alongside Max Verstappen.
That is where we began, starting with Tsunoda’s thoughts on the season so far.
“It has probably been one of the most challenging years of my career, but also the year where I grew up the most as a person and as a driver,” began Tsunoda. “Stepping into racing at home made it even more special. The first race was definitely one of the hardest of my life. Joining Oracle Red Bull Racing comes with a lot of pressure, and having my home Grand Prix as my first race was something I never imagined.”
Tsunoda then highlighted the challenges with making that move, and how he has improved over the past few races becoming one with the RB21, and its characeristics.
“After that, I had moments where I struggled a lot with the car characteristics, especially in long runs. I was confused by the gap between where I wanted to be and where I actually was,” said Tsunoda. “But the recent races have started to feel better, especially in those areas. Some parts are improving, and now it is all about putting everything together. This year has made me much stronger as a person and helped me understand more about who I am, what I am good at, and what I am not.”
Tsunoda then opened up about getting the news that he was moving to Red Bull. He called the promotion a move he “wanted for a long time,” but also reflected on the times that call never came.
“This is a seat I have wanted for a long time,” said Tsunoda. “Last year I thought there was a chance it could happen, but it did not, which was disappointing and frustrating. At the same time, those moments made me stronger and more motivated to become a better driver and prove myself to the team.
”It took a while, but now I have been able to step into Oracle Red Bull Racing, especially alongside Max, and that is the step I really wanted as a driver.
The call came after the second race of the season.
And right before the Japanese Grand Prix, Tsunoda’s home race.
I asked the driver about making his Red Bull debut at home.
“It was very special,” started Tsunoda.
“Like I said, there was already a lot of pressure joining Oracle Red Bull Racing, but to debut at my home Grand Prix made it even more meaningful,” said Tsunoda, before recalling sitting in those very grandstands watching another Red Bull driver.
“A few years earlier, I was in the grandstands watching Sebastian Vettel win the World Championship in an Oracle Red Bull Racing car and thinking how one day I wanted to be in a winning car like that. Twelve years later, I was in that car, racing in front of the Japanese fans. It felt very special, especially the moment I exited the pit lane for the first time.”
When Tsunoda began the year at VCARB, Laurent Mekies was his Team Principal.
When the move to Red Bull came, Christian Horner was the Team Principal at Red Bull. But after the British Grand Prix a change was made. Horner was out, and Mekies was moving to the senior team.
I asked Tsunoda about working with Mekies.
“He is someone I really enjoy working with. When he joined the team last year, we made a lot of progress together,” said Tsunoda. “Even when we had tough moments in the middle of the season, we were able to bring the team back strong. He is a friendly team principal and a nice guy. I can be open with him even outside of racing, and we have shared a lot of moments together.
“He has a lot of knowledge, especially on the engineering side. For example, he once told the engineering team to try a car setup that I used and liked before. I did not even think it would work because it was a different car, but when we tested it, it went well for me. That kind of knowledge helps a lot, and as a person, he is someone I can rely on and feel comfortable with.”
The importance of data and communication in F1
Data and communication are critical for success in Formula 1.
AT&T is Red Bull’s Innovation Partner, helping the team with data so Red Bull can be at their best on the track. I asked Tsunoda about that relationship, and how AT&T powers Red Bull each race weekend.
“I saw the big communication setup at the back of the garage during testing. It looked like a huge machine with lights flashing everywhere, like a Christmas tree. I did not realize at first that it was not about the machines, but the data,” began Tsunoda.
“The network connects telemetry from the garage back to Milton Keynes and to the engineers in the control room. It all happens in split seconds, which is crazy to think about,” added the driver. “Without that network, we would be in trouble. It helps track everything going on with the car and is very important for reliability and performance.
“It also helps me as a driver because engineers can immediately see what I am doing compared to others and tell me where I can improve. Without that instant communication, it would be much harder to react quickly and make progress during a race or a test.”
I then asked Tsunoda about communication during a race. I’ve been lucky enough to be wearing a headset in the garage during race sessions before, and walked away amazed over how much information is relayed to the drivers over the course of a single lap.
It’s one thing when your kids are yelling in the backseat as you drive down the freeway. It’s quite another when you’re being talked to while rocketing around a racetrack in an F1 car.
Is that tough to deal with as a driver?
“It can be very tough,” said Tsunoda. “There is always something happening and a lot of information being said through the headset. If something goes wrong with the car, you have to react immediately because everything is very sensitive.”
Part of what makes it tough is just how close the current F1 field. Every millisecond matters, but that communication can also help Tsunoda find the time he needs over the course of a lap, or an entire race.
“The field is so close now that we are often separated by just a few tenths between P1 and P20. Even small gains, a few milliseconds per corner, can add up over a race. The engineers can give me feedback straight away so I can improve. Those milliseconds can become a few seconds over sixty laps, which is a big difference,” added Tsunoda.
Whenever I am lucky enough to talk to a driver, i reach out to readers for questions they would like to have answered.
We then shifted the discussion to those questions, starting with the most rewarding moment or experience of Tsunoda’s F1 career.
“There are a few moments. My first race in Bahrain in 2021 was very special because it was my debut in Formula 1, and I scored points with a P9 finish. That was a dream come true,” said the Red Bull driver.
“Finishing P4 later in my career (at the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix) was another big highlight. I almost made the podium but made a small mistake in the last lap, which I regret a bit, but I learned from it. And obviously, joining Oracle Red Bull Racing and racing at my home Grand Prix has been another special moment.”
Another reader wanted to know what aspect of the RB21 he was still looking to unlock.
Tsunoda pointed to confidence.
“In Formula 1, confidence and trust in your car are everything. It is not easy to build that, especially during the season when you have limited sessions to work with,” said Tsunoda. “My confidence is improving, but it is still not at the level I want. I know that once I reach that point, more performance will come naturally.
Tsunoda’s love and passion for food is known all over the world, as is his ability in the kitchen as well as on the etrack. Another reader wanted to know if there was a dish he loved to eat, but was intimidated to create himself.
“So far, I have been lucky enough to eat everything I want, so I cannot think of anything I am too intimidated to try,” said Tsunoda.
Another reader wanted to know if there was something he wanted to try for a unique helmet design, but has not been able to yet.
“Maybe chrome,” said Tsunoda. “I have done it before, but I would like to do more with that in the future.”
Favorite Red Bull flavor?
“Classic, but sugar-free.”
The 2025 USGP and the rest of the F1 season
As our time drew to a close, I asked Tsunoda some questions about the United States Grand Prix, and the rest of the 2025 season, starting with Circuit of the Americas itself. Drivers love this track, and Tsunoda is no exception.
“I love this track,” began Tsunoda. “It is old-school, so there is not much run-off area, which makes it thrilling but also fun. The first sector with the high-speed chicanes is one of the best but if you miss one corner, it compromises the next, but if you get it right, it is very satisfying.
“The track has a mix of corners – slow, medium and high speed – and the elevation changes make it even more exciting. It is very balanced and enjoyable to drive.”
As far as his expectations for this week, and the rest of the season, Tsunoda came back to that one word.
“I want to keep improving and unlock the confidence level I am aiming for with the car. I think once I get there, the results will come naturally. For now, I just want to keep doing what I am doing and enjoy racing.”
