Yuki Tsunoda has candidly reflected on the toll his 2025 Red Bull Formula 1 stint took on his mental and emotional wellbeing, admitting: “I’m not enjoying life.” After being thrust into the pressure-cooker environment alongside Max Verstappen, Tsunoda found himself struggling—on and off the track.
“Definitely, 2025 was the toughest year in my career,” Tsunoda revealed on the Beyond The Grid podcast. “I started to really struggle, towards the second half of the season especially; somehow when I came back to my house, I felt very exhausted… I didn’t feel that energy, [it] never came back, and the races just kept going and going.”
Despite trying to reset between races with his usual routines and support from friends, Tsunoda found the relentless schedule and performance pressure overwhelming: “I’m not really enjoying the situation, not really enjoying driving Formula 1 probably as much as I was doing the first three years.”
The Japanese driver leaned on psychological support, trainers, and friends, but admits the experience forced deep self-reflection: “The year gave me the opportunity to look myself through a lot more than any other years.”
Tsunoda eventually lost his seat as Isack Hadjar was promoted and Arvid Lindblad joined Racing Bulls, relegating him to a reserve role. However, after Hadjar’s injury, Tsunoda returned to Racing Bulls and says he’s found a new perspective: “Somehow I’m able to enjoy that kind of pressure moments and I feel very comfortable… I don’t think [anything in my career] will be as hard as what I went through last year.”
Tsunoda’s honest account highlights the immense psychological demands placed on F1 drivers—especially those in the Red Bull environment—and underscores the importance of mental health in elite sport.
