And F1 technical analyst Sam Collins suggested this could lead to a “really interesting opportunity” for Yuki Tsunoda to make his Red Bull debut.
Reigning four-time World Champion Verstappen heads into F1 2025 chasing a remarkable fifth straight title, though starting the season on eight penalty points, he is walking a tightrope as 12 means a one-race ban, as Kevin Magnussen was the first to find out last season.
Not until June 30 will any of those points drop off Verstappen’s Superlicence.
And should Verstappen find himself hit with four more penalty points before that date, Collins believes Tsunoda is the “obvious” stand-in choice at Red Bull.
F1 2025 is a huge season in Tsunoda’s career, with Red Bull team principal Christian Horner having suggested this will be the Japanese driver’s final year with their junior team VCARB, with either a new role or departure looming.
Speaking during Sky F1’s coverage of F1 2025 testing in Bahrain, Collins said: “Something I think we haven’t spoken enough about, or even at all, as far as I’m aware over the last couple of days, Yuki Tsunoda has actually got a really interesting opportunity this year.
“Max Verstappen, due to on-track incidents last year, is right on the verge for a one-race ban due to driver penalty points. Yuki Tsunoda is the obvious choice to get promoted into that race seat.
“Even just for one race, putting Yuki Tsunoda into the Red Bull, that could be quite an interesting outcome if perhaps Max was a little bit naughty at race two because, where would Yuki Tsunoda then be in the Red Bull? Around Suzuka. Honda’s home circuit.”
The Japanese Grand Prix will serve as Round 3 of 24 in the upcoming F1 2025 season, a campaign which gets underway with the Australian Grand Prix on March 16, the event returning to the season-opener slot for the first time since 2019.
Tsunoda has another new team-mate for F1 2025 in the form of Isack Hadjar, who steps up to F1 after finishing runner-up in the 2024 F2 Championship.
After outscoring Daniel Ricciardo and Liam Lawson last season, Tsunoda was once more overlooked for a Red Bull promotion, that seat going to Lawson after the departure of Perez.
The 24-year-old therefore will go again at VCARB, looking to finally force that Red Bull breakthrough – perhaps at Verstappen’s expense for a race – or attract the attention of a new suitor, though Tsunoda concerningly admitted that he believes scoring points will be difficult to do in the early stages of F1 2025.
“I wouldn’t say I think we’re going to have competitive performance as much as I had first-half of the season last year,” Tsunoda admitted to the media, including PlanetF1.com, at pre-season testing in Bahrain.
“So I think it will be a little bit trickier to fight against I would say top 10. To score points, it will be very, very tight.
“Still, I think there’s a bit of a step forward, but not enough compared to what we want so far.”
