Yuki Tsunoda is making the most of his unexpected return to the Formula 1 grid this season.
After losing his full-time seat at the end of 2025 and taking on reserve duties for Red Bull and Racing Bulls, the Japanese driver has been called up for the last two races and will race again this weekend (September 11-13) in Madrid.
It started at Zandvoort, where he stepped in for Liam Lawson after Isack Hadjar’s injury. With no prior experience in the 2026 car, Tsunoda qualified 12th and finished 11th, impressing the team with how quickly he adapted.
He stayed in the car for Monza and scored a point with 10th place, showing solid pace around the high-speed Italian circuit.
Surer sees Haas as the logical next step
Those performances have inevitably raised questions about whether Tsunoda can force his way back onto the grid full-time.
Former F1 driver Marc Surer, speaking to OLBG and Sports News Blitz, believes he has earned another chance – but the options are limited.
“He would deserve it, but where should he go? I’ve been thinking, and I went through the field, and I ended up with Haas.
“Haas now have Toyota support, and he’s a Japanese driver. So Honda have to let him go, and he will be a Toyota driver. That would make sense for me.”
Haas have Toyota backing and are looking at options for 2027, particularly if Esteban Ocon’s future becomes clearer.
A Japanese driver with proven midfield experience would fit the manufacturer’s interest in developing talent from that market.
The catch is Tsunoda’s long-standing Honda connection, which would need to be resolved.
Another chance to impress in Madrid
This weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix at the new Madring gives Tsunoda a third consecutive race to keep building his case.
The unfamiliar semi-street circuit means every driver starts with limited knowledge, so a strong showing could further highlight his adaptability.
At 26, Tsunoda has already shown he can jump back into a car and deliver respectable results with minimal preparation.
Whether that is enough to open a door at Haas or elsewhere remains to be seen, but his recent form at Zandvoort and Monza has at least put him back on the radar.
For a driver who spent the first half of the year watching from the sidelines, that is progress.
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Juliette White 
SportJustSport writers 
Aidan Leo