With his future uncertain Tsunoda sacks agents after Red Bull snub

In 2024, driving for Red Bull's junior team, now called Racing Bulls, Tsunoda added consistency to the outright pace he'd showcased in previous years, starting half of the 24 races inside the top ten — and delivering points on nine occasions.

Asked to rate his own performance, the 24-year-old admitted that he “could’ve done better in a couple of races,” but having consistently outperformed teammate Daniel Ricciardo, he said it was “one of his best” seasons overall.

Yet, when Red Bull finally lost patience with Sergio "Checo" Perez at the end of the year, Tsunoda was leapfrogged by Liam Lawson, who had taken Ricciardo’s seat for the last six races of the campaign.

Though Lawson impressed during his short stint at what was then VCARB, the Japanese is said to be annoyed he wasn’t given the chance to step up. That’s why he’s now ditched agents Mario Miyakawa and Luis Alvarez; he’ll now be looked after by Mexican manager Diego Menchaca.

Tsunoda said: "I am not working [with] Mario anymore, and Luis as well. I'm really happy with Diego. He's motivated, definitely.

"Once we decided to work together, he immediately went to Helmut's [Marko, Red Bull advisor] office to build a relationship. That kind of effort, I really appreciate — and obviously, Helmut did too.

"They already have a good relationship, which is a good start. But in the end, the most important thing is to perform on track, which will make Diego’s life easier," he added.

Following an initially tricky expletive-laden start to his F1 career, which saw him struggle to get to grips with a lackluster car, Tsunoda has delivered on his potential over the last few seasons.

He easily dispatched teammate Nyck de Vries, despite the Dutchman arriving with a huge reputation as a Formula 2 and Formula E champion. When eight-time F1 race winner Ricciardo rejoined VCARB for 2023, it was also assumed that the Aussie was being given a dress rehearsal for a return to Red Bull in place of a struggling Perez.

But it was Tsunoda who shined brightest, impressing with seventh-place finishes in Melbourne and Miami last term, and racking up a very respectable 30 points across the season. In December 2024, he was even given a test run in an old Red Bull. So, why wasn’t he promoted?

It could be down to the fact that Tsunoda’s Red Bull ties have always been linked to Honda’s. With Red Bull switching to Ford engines next year, his role in the project could be in peril.

When asked what he’s expecting from the driver for 2025, Racing Bulls boss Laurent Mekies said he’s looking for “another step of the same magnitude.” But even if he manages this, it seems increasingly unlikely that he’ll get a shot at a first-team seat.

If he were to be dropped by Red Bull altogether at the end of the 2025 season, Tsunoda could end up elsewhere. Although he was considered by Haas and Sauber for the coming year, both have now locked in drivers on multi-year deals, leaving the Racing Bulls man with limited options.

Tsunoda could follow in the footsteps of new manager Menchaca, who was also a single-seater driver before switching to sports cars. Or he could join former F1 ace Kamui Kobayashi, who has enjoyed success in the World Endurance Championship and Super Formula categories.

It’s also entirely possible that Lawson will struggle at Red Bull. After all, Alex Albon, Pierre Gasly, and most recently Perez all failed to keep pace with Max Verstappen. Who knows? Maybe the Dutchman will even fall foul of the FIA’s new swearing rules, earning himself a race suspension, and giving Tsunoda the chance he’s been looking for.

Whatever happens, the new season represents an opportunity for Tsunoda to put himself in the shop window. If he were to take a surprise podium (like Gasly managed in Brazil in 2019), it’s possible he’d turn enough heads for a drive to open up elsewhere.