Red Bull has decisively intervened to prevent one of their current drivers from entering the GT World Challenge Australia, effectively blocking Yuki Tsunoda from following ‘s path into GT racing.
The Japanese rider, sidelined for much of the 2026 season after being dropped from Red Bull’s full-time lineup, had planned to compete at the Adelaide event with Tigani Motorsport, piloting a Mercedes-AMG GT3 from November 25 to 29. However, organisers have confirmed that Red Bull refused to sanction Tsunoda’s drive, halting his hopes of regaining valuable track time through GT competition.
Tsunoda’s demotion came after a turbulent period within Red Bull’s hierarchy. Promoted from the junior Racing Bulls squad to the main team in early 2025 following Liam Lawson’s brief tenure, Tsunoda was replaced at the end of that season by Isack Hadjar, Lawson’s former teammate. With no race seat available, Tsunoda was relegated to reserve driver status, severely limiting his opportunities on track throughout 2026. The blocked GT entry was seen as a crucial chance for Tsunoda to maintain race sharpness, but Red Bull’s veto underscores their strict control over driver activities outside F1.
Ben McMellan, head of SRO Motorsports Australia-the entity overseeing both the Australian GT series and the GT World Challenge Europe where Verstappen’s own team recently secured a landmark victory-highlighted the ongoing search for a marquee name to fill Tsunoda’s abandoned spot. McMellan emphasised the value of high-profile guest drivers, citing previous appearances by Giancarlo Fisichella in S5000 and Austin Cindric in Supercars as examples. He stated to Speedcafe, “The government is very proactive in having a high-profile guest driver attend their events and for us we would love to have someone in a GT World Challenge car.” Despite active discussions, the seat remains vacant.
Max Verstappen’s impact on GT3 racing has been profound, with the so-called “Max Verstappen effect” driving unprecedented interest in the category. Even without Verstappen racing himself at the Nürburgring 24 Hours, his team’s presence in GT World Challenge Europe has attracted significant fan engagement worldwide. McMellan remarked, “Anytime that you have a very high-profile driver involved in a series, it’s great because it brings increased exposure. There are more eyeballs on GT3 racing around the world than ever before with Max participating at Nürburgring.” He added, “Even Max’s team racing with us in Europe at the moment, it’s probably brought more attention to GT3 racing than ever before.”
Red Bull’s decision to block Tsunoda’s GT entry highlights the team’s cautious approach to managing their drivers’ careers beyond F1, preventing a repeat of Verstappen’s successful crossover into GT racing. This move signals Red Bull’s intent to tightly control their driver program, prioritising F1 commitments over external racing ventures.