Yuki Tsunoda secures new manager as critical Formula 1 2025 season approaches
Yuki Tsunoda changes management amid pivotal 2025 F1 season and Red Bull junior team challenges
Yuki Tsunoda, who recently learned he would not be promoted to the senior Red Bull Racing team for the 2025 Formula 1 season, has made a significant career move by appointing a new manager. As the high-pressure 2025 F1 season looms, Tsunoda’s new management is already taking strategic steps to secure his future in the world of Formula 1 racing.
Yuki Tsunoda’s fresh start with new manager Diego Menchaca in 2025 Formula 1
Breaking away from his former management duo, Mario Miyakawa and Luis Alvarez, Tsunoda has hired Diego Menchaca, a 30-year-old with a strong background in single-seater and GT racing. Menchaca’s arrival signals Tsunoda’s commitment to staying competitive and relevant in the F1 driver market for 2025.
Speaking to Autosport, Tsunoda praised Menchaca’s proactive approach, particularly his quick efforts to establish rapport with Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s senior advisor and head of the driver program:
“I am not working [with] Mario anymore, and Luis as well. I’m really happy with Diego,” Tsunoda said. “He’s motivated, definitely. Once we decided to work together, he immediately went to Helmut’s office to build a relationship. That kind of effort, I really appreciate – and obviously, Helmut did too. They already have a good relationship, which is a good start. But in the end, the most important thing is to perform on track, which will make Diego’s life easier.”
Why Yuki Tsunoda was overlooked for promotion to Red Bull Racing in 2025
Despite outperforming teammates Daniel Ricciardo and Liam Lawson during the 2024 Formula 1 season, Tsunoda was passed over for a coveted seat in the Red Bull Racing F1 team 2025 lineup. Instead, Liam Lawson was promoted to fill Sergio Perez’s spot, leaving Tsunoda to continue with Red Bull’s junior team, VCARB, for a critical fifth season.
This decision has put Tsunoda at a major crossroads in his F1 career. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has hinted that the 2025 season will likely be Tsunoda’s final year with VCARB, emphasizing the need for clear results:
“We’re acutely aware that if we’re not able to provide an opportunity for Yuki – being, in all honesty, this year [2025] – does it make sense [to keep him]? You can’t have a driver in the support team for five years. You can’t always be the bridesmaid. You’ve either got to let them go at that point or look at something different. I think he’s very determined. He knows that things change very quickly. Who would’ve thought nine months ago we’d be sitting here talking about Liam Lawson being our driver for 2025? Things change quickly in this industry, and he’s aware of that and knows that he needs to be the one demonstrating that he’s the one knocking on the door.”
The high-stakes 2025 Formula 1 season ahead for Yuki Tsunoda and VCARB
For the upcoming 2025 Formula 1 season, Tsunoda will team up with Isack Hadjar, the 2024 Formula 2 runner-up, now graduating to the junior Red Bull team. This partnership places Tsunoda under intense pressure to deliver one of the most crucial performances of his career.
Tsunoda had a brief opportunity to experience driving for the senior Red Bull team during the post-2024 Abu Dhabi test, piloting the RB20. This test offered a glimpse into what could be possible if he performs well on the track during the 2025 campaign.
With Diego Menchaca providing management support and Red Bull monitoring his progress closely, Tsunoda’s 2025 season will be a defining moment. In the fast-moving world of Formula 1, where career trajectories shift rapidly, this could be Tsunoda’s best—and potentially last—chance to prove he belongs at the pinnacle of motorsport.
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