Yuki Tsunoda Bio
Yuki Tsunoda (born 11 May 2000) is a Japanese racing driver who competes in Formula One for Red Bull Racing. Born in Sagamihara, Kanagawa, and raised in Tokyo, Tsunoda began competitive karting at the age of nine and rose quickly through the junior single-seater ranks with Honda’s backing. He debuted in Formula One in 2021 with AlphaTauri and has since raced under the Honda-powered Red Bull family of teams.
After earning the FIA Rookie of the Year award in 2020, Tsunoda established himself as a combative and quick midfielder across four seasons at AlphaTauri and its successor squad, Racing Bulls. He was promoted to the senior Red Bull team from the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix onwards, partnering four-time World Champion Max Verstappen for the rest of the season.
Early Life and Background
Yuki Tsunoda was born on 11 May 2000 in Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan, and grew up in nearby Tokyo. He attended LCA International Elementary School before moving on to Nihon University Third High School. In April 2017, he transferred to Wako High School, balancing his studies with a fast-growing racing schedule.
Tsunoda started competitive karting at the age of nine and joined the JAF Junior Karting Championship in 2010. He progressed to the regional class in 2013 and reached the national class a year later, building a record that persuaded Honda to include him in its Honda Formula Dream Project from 2016 onwards.
In April 2019, he enrolled at the Faculty of Sport Management of Nippon Sport Science University. He later took a leave of absence and ultimately withdrew to focus fully on his racing career, a decision that paid off with a swift climb through the junior categories.
Path to NASCAR
Tsunoda’s career path runs through open-wheel motorsport rather than stock car racing. His progression from karting into single-seaters under the Honda Formula Dream Project kept him within the Formula One ladder system.
In 2016, he graduated from Honda’s Suzuka Circuit Racing School in the advanced formula class and made his single-seater debut in the F4 Japanese Championship. He captured his first full championship at the JAF F4 East Series in 2017 before winning the F4 Japanese Championship in 2018, beating Teppei Natori by 14 points.
A move into international competition followed, with seats in the Toyota Racing Series, Euroformula Open, FIA Formula 3, and FIA Formula 2. His third-place finish in FIA Formula 2 with Carlin in 2020, paired with the FIA Rookie of the Year honor, secured him a Formula One race seat with AlphaTauri for 2021.
Yuki Tsunoda Career
Early Career (2016-2018)
Tsunoda’s first full season of single-seater racing came in 2017, when he contested both the national F4 Japanese Championship and the regional JAF F4 East Series with Honda backing. He won his first car race at Okayama and lifted the regional title, while finishing third overall in the national championship.
In 2018, he remained in Japanese Formula 4 with the Honda Formula Dream Project team and dominated the season. Seven wins were enough to claim the national title at the final round at Motegi, finishing 14 points clear of rival Teppei Natori.
FIA Formula 3 Breakthrough (2019)
Tsunoda stepped up to the newly created FIA Formula 3 Championship in 2019 with Jenzer Motorsport, having also joined the Red Bull Junior Team alongside his Honda programme. He scored points in several rounds and claimed a breakthrough victory in the Monza Race 2 after a storming start from sixth.
He ended the year ninth in the championship with 67 points, three podiums, and one win, accounting for all of Jenzer’s points across the season. Tsunoda also finished 11th at the non-championship Macau Grand Prix.
FIA Formula 2 Breakthrough (2020)
Honda placed Tsunoda at Carlin for the 2020 FIA Formula 2 Championship, partnering fellow Red Bull junior Jehan Daruvala. After a difficult opening round in Austria, he scored his maiden Formula 2 victory in the Silverstone sprint race after the two Prema drivers ahead collided.
He took three wins, four pole positions, and seven podiums across the season, finishing third in the championship with 200 points. As the best-placed rookie and the top scorer in feature races, he earned the FIA Rookie of the Year award.
AlphaTauri Formula One Debut (2021-2023)
Tsunoda debuted in Formula One with the Honda-powered AlphaTauri team in 2021, replacing Daniil Kvyat and partnering Pierre Gasly. He drove with car number 22, doubling the number he used in karting because his preferred number 11 was already taken.
A career-best fourth place at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix earned him 12 points and 14th in the drivers’ standings. After early-season struggles and a run of retirements, he reached Q3 on multiple occasions and was praised for his raw speed.
Tsunoda retained his AlphaTauri seat for 2022 and 2023, partnering Nyck de Vries and later Daniel Ricciardo. His 2023 campaign featured a career-best sixth at the qualifying for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, a stint leading a race for the first time, and a Driver of the Day award in the finale.
Racing Bulls Era (2024)
When AlphaTauri was rebranded to RB Formula One Team for 2024, Tsunoda stayed on as a senior figure alongside Ricciardo. He opened his account with seventh in Australia and later became the first Japanese driver to score points on home soil since 2012 with tenth at the Japanese Grand Prix.
A standout qualifying performance delivered third on the grid in a rain-hit session at the São Paulo Grand Prix, where he finished seventh after a strong recovery drive. Tsunoda ended 2024 in 12th place in the drivers’ championship with 30 points, his highest finishing position to date.
Red Bull Racing Era (2025-Present)
Tsunoda began 2025 with Racing Bulls alongside FIA Formula 2 runner-up Isack Hadjar. Strong early performances, including sixth at the Chinese Grand Prix sprint, persuaded Red Bull to open talks about a promotion.
He replaced Liam Lawson at the senior team from the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix onwards, partnering Max Verstappen for the remainder of the season. Honda reportedly offered the team €10 million to make the swap in time for its home event.
His Red Bull debut produced a 12th-place finish in Japan, and he scored his first points for the team with ninth at the Bahrain Grand Prix. He later recovered to sixth at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, his best result yet with Red Bull, and matched that pace with seventh in both the sprint and main race of the United States Grand Prix.
Driving Style and Strengths
Tsunoda is known for his combative wheel-to-wheel racing and aggressive defending, particularly in the midfield battles that defined his early seasons. His qualifying pace has become a consistent strength, repeatedly delivering Q3 appearances and a career-best third on the grid in São Paulo.
He has worked closely with his engineers to refine tyre management, allowing him to extract performance on alternative strategies, as shown by his one-stop gamble in Abu Dhabi 2023. His partnership with the Red Bull engineering group continues to develop as he adapts to the RB21.
Notable Races and Milestones
Tsunoda’s standout results include fourth at the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, third on the grid at the 2024 São Paulo Grand Prix, and sixth in the 2023 Abu Dhabi qualifying session, where he also led a Grand Prix for the first time. He earned Driver of the Day honors at the 2023 Abu Dhabi finale.
He was also the first Japanese driver to score Formula One points on home soil since 2012, thanks to his tenth-place finish at the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix. His promotion to Red Bull Racing ahead of the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix marked another landmark moment in Japanese motorsport history.
Yuki Tsunoda Career Wins
Yuki Tsunoda has collected wins across karting, Formula 4, the Toyota Racing Series, Euroformula Open, FIA Formula 3, FIA Formula 2, and a strong run of Formula One results. His championships include the 2017 JAF F4 East Series title and the 2018 F4 Japanese Championship crown.
Formula One Highlights
In Formula One, Tsunoda has yet to take a race victory but has produced several standout performances. His best result remains fourth at the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, while podium contention has come through strong qualifying performances and strategic drives.
Other highlights include seventh at the 2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, seventh at the 2024 Australian Grand Prix, and seventh at the 2024 São Paulo Grand Prix. With Red Bull Racing, he has already recorded top-ten finishes at the Bahrain, Azerbaijan, and United States Grands Prix in 2025.
Other Wins and Performances
In junior categories, Tsunoda won three FIA Formula 2 races, including Silverstone and two rounds in Spa-Francorchamps and Sakhir. His sole FIA Formula 3 win came in the 2019 Monza Race 2, while he added a single victory in the 2020 Toyota Racing Series at Highlands Motorsport Park.
He also took a maiden Euroformula Open win at Hockenheim and added five further podiums despite missing two rounds. His karting and Formula 4 foundation included seven wins on his way to the 2018 Japanese F4 title.
Yuki Tsunoda Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Tsunoda grew up in a supportive family environment in Sagamihara and Tokyo that encouraged his early racing ambitions. His Honda-backed journey from the Formula Dream Project onward was supported by close family ties as he balanced school and motorsport.
While his parents are not public figures, his progression through the Honda and Red Bull junior programmes reflects a strong family commitment to his career from karting days through to Formula One.
Personal Life
Tsunoda remains focused on his racing career and divides his time between Japan and the European Formula One calendar. He withdrew from Nippon Sport Science University to concentrate fully on motorsport, a decision that underlined his dedication to reaching the top tier of the sport.
He is known for his engaging personality with fans, often greeting supporters in both Japanese and English during race weekends. Off-track, he enjoys spending time with close friends from the paddock and engaging with fans through team media days.
2025 Season Performance
Tsunoda began 2025 with Racing Bulls and quickly made an impression with sixth in the Chinese Grand Prix sprint, prompting Red Bull to evaluate a mid-season swap. He qualified fifth in Australia and ninth in China before being denied points finishes by strategic errors and front wing damage.
From the Japanese Grand Prix onwards, he drove for Red Bull Racing alongside Verstappen. He scored points at the Bahrain Grand Prix with ninth place and impressed at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix with sixth, his highest Red Bull result, and again at the United States Grand Prix with seventh in both the sprint and main race.
Mid-season struggles, including a heavy qualifying crash at Imola and a string of collisions in Monaco, Spain, Canada, Austria, and Britain, dropped him outside the points. However, an updated specification at the Belgian Grand Prix and continued progress at the Hungarian, Dutch, and Azerbaijan rounds signaled an upward trend. His contract is set to run through at least the end of the 2025 season, with team and Honda focused on converting his improving pace into consistent top-six finishes.