Helmut Marko shut down Yuki Tsunoda’s 2026 F1 move to Haas after Red Bull sacking
Photo by Jayce Illman/Getty Images Haas were reportedly keen on signing Yuki Tsunoda, but Helmut Marko stepped in to block the move, according to The Race. Tsunoda lost his seat on the F1 grid for the 2026 season after five years. Tsunoda’s career was expected to take off in early 2025 when he replaced Liam Lawson at Red Bull.
But despite showing potential with Racing Bulls, he struggled to deliver consistent results at the higher level. Isack Hadjar was promoted while Arvid Lindblad moved up from Formula 2 to take over one of the seats, leaving Tsunoda without a place. He’s still around as a reserve driver but will likely need to move on completely if he wants another shot at a full-time role.
Haas’ attempt to sign Yuki Tsunoda was reportedly shut down by Helmut Marko Speaking on The Race F1 podcast , journalist Scott Mitchell-Malm backed Tsunoda to get a second chance in 2027. Ayao Komatsu had already shown interest in the Japanese driver the year before. But Marko, despite Tsunoda’s uncertain start at Red Bull , wanted to keep his options open for 2026.
He ended up leaving the team himself before those plans could play out. Tsunoda is still linked with Honda, while Haas now has ties to Toyota through a title sponsorship and technical partnership. There are no expectations that the two Japanese manufacturers would stand in the way of a deal.
“I’m going to stick my neck out and say Yuki Tsunoda,” said Mitchell-Malm. “I think Haas is his route back into F1. Komatsu was very interested in Tsunoda 12 months ago.