Inside Honda’s Strategy: Tsunoda’s Potential Move to Aston Martin
Mar.27 - Honda has indicated it would like to see Yuki Tsunoda move to the Aston Martin team next year.
The Japanese driver's career was already in doubt, given that Honda - his sponsor - is leaving Red Bull at the end of the year to become Aston Martin's works engine partner for the 2026 regulations era.
Tsunoda is set to replace the hapless Liam Lawson at Red Bull Racing from Suzuka onwards, but F1 journalist Erik van Haren doubts he has much of a future there.
"That seems very, very doubtful in advance," the De Telegraaf correspondent said. "Especially because of Red Bull's doubts about him as a driver have been there for years, also at the end of the last year."
Additionally, Bild newspaper in Germany is reporting that Honda is agreeing to significantly increase its financial backing of Tsunoda from its current 10 million euros a year to secure the opportunity at Red Bull Racing.
But Koji Watanabe, president of Honda Racing Corporation, warns that the backing for Red Bull specifically earmarked for Tsunoda will end late this year.
"Honda has a sponsorship contract with Tsunoda," Watanabe told as-web.jp. "We have not given up on him and are actively involved."
But he confirms that Honda will end all driver-related talks with Red Bull this year.
"Yes, that will no longer be the case," said Watanabe. "Regarding the seat from 2026 onwards, the team we can discuss with is Aston Martin, not Red Bull.
"If Tsunoda wants to remain with Red Bull, Honda cannot support him beyond 2025. If he wants to come to Aston Martin, and if a story can be made that objectively supports Tsunoda going to Aston Martin, Honda would also like to support him."
The issue for Tsunoda is that Aston Martin's current drivers - Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll - are already contracted to the team for 2026.
"Yes, as far as I know, 2026 is fixed," Watanabe said. "However, I hope that in the future, a driver trained by Honda will drive for Aston Martin."
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10M Ok but its Bild Zeitung, the equivalent of The Sun in the UK so pinch of salt required perhaps
All the financial backing Red Bull has received from Honda for Yuki's presence in the organization since 2021 will indeed be gone once the PU supply ends, so while his Honda affiliation may be mostly a sponsorship thing these days, it's still conflicting, hence, I struggle to see him having a chance to continue in the Red Bull organization beyond the current season’s end (or receiving a Cadillac drive, for that matter).
He could initially become a reserve driver at Aston Martin & subsequently get promoted to full-time drive as Alonso's direct successor since he'll likely quit racing in F1 for good after next season, or he can always switch to Super Formula if he struggles to make a full-time return.
It was more about the Ten Million for me..!
Aston seems likely after this year. Alonso in now regularly being beaten by his team mate.
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