Yuki Tsunoda says he is finally moving “in the right direction” at Red Bull Formula 1 thanks to the arrival of Laurent Mekies. The Japanese driver believes the team principal’s technical approach and familiarity with his style have allowed him to rediscover the comfort and balance he once felt at Racing Bulls. That shift has coincided with a strong upswing in results, highlighted by his standout P6 finish at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Tsunoda’s Baku performance was his most convincing of the season, he calmly navigated a tricky qualifying session to reach Q3, then executed a strong race to finish ahead of Lando Norris. That result was particularly significant, as taking points from Red Bull’s direct rivals is a key part of his role alongside Max Verstappen.
Despite the growing speculation that Isack Hadjar is still the favorite for a 2026 race seat, Tsunoda knows the final stretch of the season could define his future. Helmut Marko has already pointed to the Mexican Grand Prix at the end of October as a milestone moment in Red Bull’s evaluation process.
“I didn’t talk to Helmut, or anyone from Red Bull, after Baku, but for me the target is clear. The thing I have to do is quite clear. I’ve shown those things in one race so far, at least in one good race with P6. But as soon as I came here for the second half of the season, I think the Q3 performances are there and the points are there. It’s going in the right direction,” said Tsunoda. “I’m at least showing that I’m able to improve myself compared to the first half of the season.”
Baku Breakthrough Signals Tsunoda’s Progress
The turnaround in Tsunoda’s performances after the summer break has been clear. He has scored points in both Zandvoort (P9) and Baku (P6), a marked improvement over the first part of the year when he finished in the points just three times. The upgrade to match Max Verstappen’s specification from Monza onwards has played a role, but the driver himself points to Mekies’ influence as the key factor behind his surge.
The French team boss, who worked with Tsunoda during their time together at Racing Bulls, immediately recognized the need to adjust the car’s set-up philosophy to better suit the 25-year-old’s driving preferences.
“Laurent has helped me with a lot of things. The set-up that I tried two races ago, for example, was the one that I used at almost every race at VCARB,” Tsunoda explained. “I kind of forgot about these things, also that specific set-up, as I thought it was default at the previous team. When I came to this team, it was different how they set up the car and things like that.”
Mekies directed the engineering team to revisit techniques Tsunoda had relied on previously, a decision that paid off quickly.
“Laurent told the engineering side ‘okay, Yuki was doing these kinds of things to add some performance on one of the axles or to drive it around certain corners’. When I tried those things in the Red Bull car, they actually still worked,” Tsunoda said. “The feeling that I got from the car is much more familiar now, more what I used to have.”
Technical Insight and Familiarity Fuel Tsunoda’s Confidence
Mekies’ technical background is proving valuable in translating driver feedback into actionable engineering changes — something Tsunoda admits was missing before. That improved communication comes at a crucial time, with Red Bull chasing Mercedes in the Constructors’ Championship, trailing by only 18 points.
“Without Laurent’s ideas, I wouldn’t have been able to come up with it myself. That’s what I appreciate. Also on the relationship side, it’s always been very good. It’s literally what I used to have at VCARB. It feels exactly the same, just the team logos are different now when I speak with him!” Tsunoda said during media day in Singapore.
Tsunoda now hopes to build on this momentum and consistently deliver strong results in the races ahead.
“I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing. I obviously want to show more, but I think those things will come naturally with my efforts,” he added. “My confidence and understanding of the car are getting better, I just need to put it all together. But I think it’s definitely going in the right direction. The feeling I got in Baku was different from most of the other races. Sometimes I was more dependent on luck or whatever, but I feel that in Baku I could get P6 without any luck or anything, that’s good.”
Road Ahead: Red Bull Future Still in Play
While his long-term future with the team remains uncertain, Tsunoda’s improved pace and renewed confidence under Mekies are timely. If he can replicate the composure and performance shown in Baku over the remaining rounds, he could make a strong case to remain part of Red Bull’s Formula 1 plans beyond 2025.
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