Japan’s Yuki Tsunoda admitted it was “incredibly tough” to lose his Red Bull race seat for next season but has vowed to return to the Formula 1 grid.

The 25-year-old was replaced on Tuesday by French rookie Isack Hadjar as Max Verstappen’s teammate at Red Bull for 2026. Having also been passed over for a seat at sister team Racing Bulls, Tsunoda will now take on the role of Red Bull test and reserve driver.

“I’m not finished yet,” he wrote on social media. “Finding out I won’t have a race seat in 2026 was incredibly tough, but I’m determined to work harder than ever with Red Bull as test and reserve driver, and prove I deserve a place on the grid.”

Tsunoda initially stepped up from Racing Bulls to replace New Zealand’s Liam Lawson at Red Bull two races into the 2025 season. Since then, he has scored 33 points in the World Championship, compared with Verstappen’s 396, highlighting the challenging season he has endured.

The Japanese driver, who has been part of Red Bull’s junior program since 2019, has now competed in more than 100 Grands Prix without securing a podium finish. He currently sits just one place and three points behind Lawson in the standings.

“Life’s full of setbacks, and this is mine,” Tsunoda added. “It’s not going to deter me from being the best F1 driver I can be.”

Despite the setback, Tsunoda remains determined to fight his way back to a full-time race seat and continue his pursuit of success in Formula 1.