Yuki Tsunoda's path to IndyCar open as Red Bull reportedly make 2026 decision

Yuki Tsunoda's rumored path to IndyCar in 2026 seems to be wide open. Red Bull have reportedly decided to promote Isack Hadjar to replace him next season and race alongside Max Verstappen.

Autosport made the claim after the Qatar Grand Prix, sharing that Red Bull will make the news official on Tuesday, December 2. Tsunoda won't have a direct swap with Hadjar for a return to Racing Bulls. Instead, the junior team will promote F2 prodigy Arvid Lindblad to drive alongside Liam Lawson next season.

This will make Yuki Tsunoda a free agent, with no viable F1 options for 2026. There was a possibility he could stay in F1 as Aston Martin's reserve driver, considering he is backed by Honda, which will be AMR's engine partner from 2026 onwards. However, that went out the door when the team extended incumbent reserve driver Jak Crawford's contract.

With no other known racing commitments for Yuki Tsunoda for next year, IndyCar comes up as a possibility. Over a month ago, IndyCar reporter Tony Donohue claimed that he'd heard rumors about the Japanese F1 driver eyeing an IndyCar drive with Dale Coyne Racing.

In a way, the rumor found some strength when Dale Coyne, who was set to announce the team's lineup by Halloween (October 31), pushed the self-imposed deadline to between Thanksgiving (November 27) and mid-December. That somewhat aligned with the deadline Red Bull had to set to announce its 2026 driver lineup, which was by or before the season-ending Abu Dhabi GP on December 6.

Tsunoda has some IndyCar experience, having tested a Chip Ganassi Racing car at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway last year. Six-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon had coached the F1 driver through that special crossover.

Yuki Tsunoda could fit at Dale Coyne Racing in a part-time capacity alongside Conor Daly

The Dale Coyne Racing Honda of Rinus Veekay at the IndyCar Java House Grand Prix of Monterey - Source: Getty

Dale Coyne Racing has already filled one of its two IndyCar seats for 2026. The team signed 2025 Indy NXT champion Dennis Hauger, a former Red Bull talent like Yuki Tsunoda, on a one-year deal, with the Norwegian set to remain under Andretti Global's umbrella.

DCR is currently a team that needs its drivers to bring some budget to finance their seats. The team had offered to retain Rinus Veekay on a one-year contract, but the Dutch driver rejected the offer because he didn't want to use more of his savings to fund a drive.

For Yuki Tsunoda, money wouldn't be a problem because Honda, which is the engine supplier for Dale Coyne Racing, could fund his seat. A challenge, if any, would be on the racing front. The Japanese driver could ace the road/street courses, but like many of his F1 predecessors who joined IndyCar, might not be ready to race on ovals, which are perceived to be dangerous.

This is where Conor Daly would come in. The Indiana native is an oval specialist and is in contention for the second seat at DCR. He can bring sponsorships to fund his seat, as proven in 2025. But it remains to be seen if he gets enough backing for a full season.

This sets up the perfect stage for Dale Coyne Racing to run both drivers next season. They could sign Yuki Tsunoda to pilot the second car on road/street courses, and Conor Daly on ovals.