Yuki Tsunoda returned to the cockpit of a Formula 1 car on Friday, completing a demonstration run through Istanbul in a Red Bull RB8 as part of celebrations marking the Turkish Grand Prix’s return to the calendar from 2027.
The Japanese driver, currently serving as Red Bull’s reserve after being replaced by Isack Hadjar for the 2026 season, piloted Sebastian Vettel’s 2012 championship-winning car both on Istanbul’s city streets and at the Istanbul Park circuit. The Turkish Grand Prix will rejoin the F1 schedule on a five-year deal starting in 2027, having last appeared during the pandemic-affected 2020 and 2021 seasons. Turkey previously held a permanent calendar slot between 2005 and 2011.
From Race Seat to Reserve Role
Tsunoda spent five years as a full-time F1 driver from 2021, moving up to partner Max Verstappen at Red Bull after the opening two races of 2025. That promotion proved short-lived. He scored points in just seven of his 22 outings as Verstappen’s teammate before being demoted to a reserve position for 2026, with Red Bull opting to hand Hadjar the race seat alongside the three-time world champion.
Friday’s demonstration marked Tsunoda’s second outing in the RB8 this year. In February, he drove the same car through San Francisco before being forced to make a hasty exit when the machine caught fire. This time, the Istanbul run passed without incident, giving the 25-year-old — who turns 26 next month — a chance to showcase his skills on the Hermann Tilke-designed circuit widely regarded as one of the architect’s finest works.
Eyes on 2027 Return
Tsunoda is expected to target a return to a full-time race seat for 2027, and Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies has left the door open for the Japanese driver to explore opportunities elsewhere. Earlier this month, Mekies said the team wishes “for him that another opportunity comes [his] way.”
Two potential landing spots have emerged. Tsunoda maintains strong links to Honda, Red Bull’s former power unit supplier, which partnered with Aston Martin ahead of the 2026 season. Haas, which enjoys a technical partnership with Honda’s Japanese rival Toyota, has also expressed interest in Tsunoda in the past.
Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu, Tsunoda’s compatriot, declined to rule out a move for the reserve driver when questioned at the end of last season. Asked if he would be interested in working with Tsunoda at some stage, Komatsu said:
“I can’t comment on his future. Obviously he’s not our driver. 2027? I think we have to focus on ’26 with our drivers and with brand-new regulations. I think most of the drivers knew that, obviously, as they wanted to see how ’26 pans out and they wanted to pick a better team for ’27. That’s why the driver market is going to be so open for ’27. So to put ourselves in a better position, our best position, the important thing is we’ve got to have a competitive ’26 season. That’s our focus.”
The futures of Haas’s current drivers, Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon, are not secure beyond the end of this season, opening potential pathways for Tsunoda or other drivers seeking seats for 2027. With the 2026 regulations representing a major technical reset — new chassis, new power units, and active aerodynamics — teams and drivers alike are expected to wait and see how the competitive order shakes out before committing to multi-year deals.
Tsunoda’s next opportunity to demonstrate his abilities in a current-generation F1 car will likely come during Red Bull’s ongoing development work, with the team continuing to refine its 2026 package ahead of the season opener in Australia on March 14, 2027.