Tsunoda has struggled to score points since joining Red Bull at round three of the F1 2025 championship, the Japanese Grand Prix, bringing in just seven in his 10 starts. That’s well down on the 129 his team-mate Max Verstappen scored in the same period.

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has repeatedly hinted at a move for Verstappen, who is contracted to Red Bull until 2028 but has clauses allowing for the early termination of his deal

Amid a downturn in performance and a battle for power behind the scenes, Horner lost the support of Red Bull's shareholders at a critical moment in the team's history, with it embarking on its own power unit programme for 2026 and with Verstappen's future still unclear.