Yuki Tsunoda's 2026 destiny will crystallise "very quickly" this year, predicts Koji Watanabe, president of Honda Racing Corporation.
Tsunoda, embarking on his fifth season with Red Bull's junior team, was bypassed for Max Verstappen's 2025 teammate role. With Honda's works partnership with Red Bull ending this year—shifting focus to Aston Martin's 2026 engine—speculation swirls about his future.
"We are aiming for homologation in February 2026," Honda's F1 project leader Tetsushi Kakuda told Ouest-France. "Since we started a little late, we want to push things back until the very last moment.
"It is difficult to say exactly what percentage of progress we have made, but I think we have reached an important milestone."
Many doubt Tsunoda, 24, will stay with the Red Bull family post-2025, eyeing a Honda-backed move to Aston Martin, though the team insists Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll are locked in for 2026.
"He's in his fifth year in F1 and has plenty of experience, so I hope he can make the best choice," Watanabe said this week, referring to Tsunoda, who Honda has backed for his entire F1 career and earlier. "I think this is a very important season, and the seat for next year will probably be fixed very quickly, so I hope he can seize on the timing and the opportunity to take the next step. I believe he can do that."
Watanabe added a broader wish: "But first and foremost, I want them all to achieve the best results this season."
