Formula 1 Rumor: Tsunoda linked to Honda-backed IndyCar move

(GMM) Yuki Tsunoda’s (pictured) Formula 1 future remains unclear – and fresh rumors suggest the Japanese driver could be headed to IndyCar if Red Bull decides not to retain him for 2026.

Red Bull has yet to finalize whether Tsunoda will stay within the main team, return to Racing Bulls, or lose his seat altogether. With Honda’s backing shifting to Aston Martin from 2026, speculation about alternative destinations is growing.

Former F1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve told Sky UK he believes Tsunoda’s time in F1 may be running out. “He’s still very far off his teammate,” Villeneuve said.

“He’s not bringing anything to the table – not in pace, not in points, and not in helping Max for the championship.

“He has a lot of experience. We’ve seen the best of him. He’s already on the way down, so it seems they’re overprotecting him for some reason.”

That protection could be tied to Honda, which has long supported Tsunoda’s career and may remain eager to keep him in its racing ecosystem. According to IndyCar insider Tony Donohue, Tsunoda has emerged as a candidate for a Honda-powered seat at Dale Coyne Racing.

“There have been rumors of Yuki Tsunoda possibly being inside that No. 19 Dale Coyne Racing with Honda backing for 2026,” Donohue said on the Unverified podcast.

Dale Coyne Photo courtesy of Penske Entertainment: Matt Fraver

“I think we’ll find out next week, and I don’t believe he’ll be back in his F1 seat.”

While some observers previously linked Tsunoda to Alpine – which technically still has a 2026 vacancy – that seat now appears earmarked for Franco Colapinto, whose extension is expected to be confirmed at the upcoming Brazilian GP.

Former F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya recently suggested a move outside F1 might be Tsunoda’s only realistic option.

“Tsunoda to Alpine could be the strange twist that surprises everyone,” he said. “But if he’s left out, he’ll be a reserve or he’ll have to find something else to do – and forget about Formula 1.”