Yuki Tsunoda’s nightmare at Red Bull continued at the Belgian Grand Prix as he finished outside the points for the sixth race in a row.

Since replacing Liam Lawson just two races into 2025, the Japanese driver has scored seven points in the second RB21. His performances have put Red Bull considerably behind McLaren in the constructors’ championship, with Ferrari and Mercedes also pulling away.

The arrival of Laurent Mekies as team principal could be what the 25-year-old needs, after Christian Horner seemed to offer little help toward the second car. The Frenchman knows Tsunoda well from his time at Racing Bulls, where he had been making regular Q3 appearances before his promotion.

Mekies smiled at Tsunoda at Spa as he made it to Q3 with Red Bull, qualifying in P7. It was hoped it would mark a turnaround in form, with Nico Rosberg noting Tsunoda no longer feels alone at Red Bull after Horner’s exit, but it was not to be.

He fell backwards at the Belgian Grand Prix as he could only manage P13, after running in the points for a large part of the race. F1 fans accused Red Bull of sabotaging Tsunoda as he was forced into another pit stop due to tyre wear issues, with Mekies stating that he was called in too late.

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Yuki Tsunoda says it would be ‘not true’ if he said he was not worried about his F1 future

His struggles have prompted speculation about his future not just with Red Bull, but F1 in general. Tsunoda will finish the season with Red Bull, but with his contract up in 2025, it is not clear where he will be come 2026.

Tsunoda reportedly has an ‘almost 0%’ chance of staying on the grid next season. The Japanese driver says he is focusing on his driving in 2025, but has admitted that he is worried about his future as he risks dropping off the grid.

He said via The Inside Track: “Yeah, I kind of got used to this kind of situation. Like I say, it’s rumours. The only thing you can do is perform and you have to show [it] on the track.

“So, in the end, I just focus on what I can control and those things that you can’t control, leave it to them.

“I mean, if I say I’m not worried, it’s not true. But it’s up to them what they decide.

“It’s good to have some options. If you have options, that would be great, and for me, I’m just only [putting] sole focus into the driving.”

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What are Yuki Tsunoda’s options for the 2026 F1 season?

Unless Tsunoda can produce some outstanding results after the summer break, it is hard to imagine that he will stay with the Red Bull setup. Isack Hadjar is being tipped to partner with Max Verstappen in 2026, while Lawson is set to stay at Racing Bulls, with Arvid Lindblad being backed to join him.

F1 fans think Tsunoda’s ‘best hope’ is Aston Martin, albeit as a reserve driver. The connections to Honda, who will supply their engines in 2026, give the move some sense, but Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll deny him a full-time race seat.

Tsunoda’s agent has been speaking to Cadillac over a potential deal. F1’s 11th team are yet to confirm their two drivers for their debut season in 2026.

Cadillac will be doing ‘cartwheels’ if Tsunoda is available for 2026. He would provide the team with experience and the 25-year-old is a fast driver, but he does face competition from veterans Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez, who are the firm favourites to sign with the team.