Former Formula 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya believes that it will be extremely difficult for Yuki Tsunoda to return to the royal motorsport.

The Japanese driver joined Red Bull at the start of 2025, replacing Liam Lawson after two races. Even though he performed better than his predecessor, the team decided to replace him and there was no place for Tsunoda in the youth team.

In five years in Formula One, Tsunoda has competed in more than 100 Grands Prix. His best result was fourth at the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. He failed to score a single podium or victory despite having several prize chances, but neither the team nor the driver realized these.

Montoya believes that Yuki is forgotten by almost all teams today:

“Look how sad Formula 1 is. Nobody even thinks about Yuki anymore. It’s only been a month and a week since the last race and Yuki is no longer on anyone’s radar. That’s the reality of this sport. One day you’re a hero, the next day you’re a nobody. When you’re a hero, you have to take advantage of that opportunity.”

Red Bull Formula 1 team president Laurent Mekies believes the Bulls will be behind their rivals at the start of the 2026 season, given the production of their engines and new aerodynamic rules.

“We know it will be difficult for us, especially at the beginning of the season. I think we will fall behind our rivals, but we need to hold on for a few more months.”

“I hope we come back to the top, but it would be naive to think that Red Bull will be ahead right away. We will be behind at the start,” said Mekis.

Bulls will produce its engines in collaboration with Ford from 2026.

After several significant personnel changes in the team, Max Verstappen has finally learned who he will be working with in the Red Bull pits for the new season.

At the end of last year, it became known that three key members of the four-time world champion’s headquarters had left. According to De Telegraaf, Jeff Ayton replaced Verstappen’s vehicle control engineer Michael Manning, who left the team after the 2025 season. He has previously worked with other Red Bull drivers and worked temporarily with Verstappen in Manning’s absence last year.

Verstappen’s former engine mechanic David Mart has moved to Audi and his replacement at Red Bull has not yet been determined. Performance engineer Tom Hart is also leaving the team; He will join Williams but will continue to work with the Milton Keynes-based team for a while.

Changes also occurred among mechanics. After Matt Culler moved to the position of Audi’s chief mechanic, Verstappen was replaced as his first mechanic by his twin brother John Culler. He is well known to Max, who has previously held a similar position on the other side of the Red Bull pits, working alongside Sergio Perez, Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda.

Despite rumors about the winter break, Gianpiero Lambiase will remain Verstappen’s race engineer for another season.