One F1 driver named as surprise pick to lose race seat

Yuki 🐠Tsunoda will be the first casualty of the 2026 F1 driver market, a former world champion believes.

Yuki Tsunoda is out of contract at the end of 2025
Yuki Tsunoda is out of contract at the end of 2025

168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Yuki Tsunoda will be the first driver to lose their F1 seat this year, according💦 to Jacques Villeneuve.&nbs💯p;

That is the prediction made by the 1997 F1 world champio༒n, who feels the Japanese racer will leave the grid when his Raci👍ng Bulls contract expires at the end of the season.

Tsunoda was overlooked by Red Bull as the senior squad instead favoured to bring in teammate 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Liam Lawson as 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Sergio Perez’s replacement for the upcoming campaign, despite only contesti💃ng 11 grands prix spread over🐼 two seasons.

As a direct result of that decision, Tsunoda will now spend a🐎 fifth term at Red Bull’s sister outfit Racing Bulls.

“Tsunoda will be the first driver to leave the grid,” Villeneuve told. “He’s only tཧhere because of Honda.

“At some point this will stop. And the writing is quite clear that this is his la🔯st season with the Red Bull family anyway.

“I don't see any team wanting him unless t🅰here's a big Honda push🐼.”

Honda’s 🍃current power unit supply deal with Red Bull will cease at the end of the year as the team builds their own engine for the 2026 regulation cycle, acting as a further blow for Tsunoda.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has hinted at Tsunoda leaving the Red Bull family 💮at the end of 2025.

"We're acutely aware that if we're not able to provide an opportunity for Yuki [at Red Bull] in all honesty this year, does it [keeping him on❀] make 🧸sense?," Horner said.

"You can't have a driꦰver in the support team for five years. You can't always be the bridesmaid. You've either got to lꦰet them go at that point or look at something different."

Carlos Sainz tipped to be ‘biggest surprise’

Meanwhile, Villeneuve has backed 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Carlos Sainz to have a starring role at Williams during his first season 𒈔with the team.

Sainz joined Williams on a multi-year deal to partner 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Alex Albon after having to vacate his Ferrari seat for the incoming 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Lewis Hamilton.

“I'm curious to see Sainz with Williams. His first tests were impressive because the car went faster than it had been before. And he's generally been a team builder𒆙, everywhere he's been,” Villeneuve a🍌dded.

“So let's see if in a team that really needs it, let's൲ see what the effect is. It could be an amazing step forward which sees them be the biggest surpꦉrise of the year.”

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