Yuki Tsunoda Linked to Dale Coyne Racing IndyCar Seat for 2026

Red Bull Formula 1 driver Yuki Tsunoda is reportedly being considered for a move to Dale Coyne Racing (DCR) in the 2026 IndyCar season, amid growing uncertainty over his future in F1.

The Japanese driver was promoted from Racing Bulls to Red Bull Racing after just two rounds of the 2025 season, but his stint alongside Max Verstappen has so far failed to deliver the results the team expected.

In 19 race weekends, Tsunoda has scored only 25 points, compared to Verstappen’s 285, as the reigning world champion has surged back into the fight for the drivers’ title.

Red Bull Future in Doubt

Tsunoda’s seat at Red Bull is believed to be under serious threat, with reports suggesting that Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar is being lined up to replace him for 2026. While no official confirmation has come from the Laurent Mekies speculation about Tsunoda’s next move has intensified.

According to Tony Donohue of IndyCar Reported, Tsunoda has emerged as a candidate for Dale Coyne Racing’s No. 19 seat, which is powered by Honda a longtime supporter of the Japanese driver.

“There have been rumors of Yuki Tsunoda possibly being inside that No. 19 Dale Coyne Racing with Honda backing, obviously, for the 2026 season,” Donohue said on the Unverified podcast on YouTube.

“I think we’ll find out next week if I’m not mistaken, and I don’t believe he’ll be back in his F1 seat. But that is certainly a rumor.”

Honda Connection Strengthens the Link

Honda has backed Tsunoda throughout his career, from his early days in Formula 4 Japan to his rise through Formula 2 and into Formula 1. The Japanese manufacturer also supplies engines to several IndyCar teams, including Dale Coyne Racing making the potential move a natural fit.

“I had heard it, and more so it was brought back up to me yesterday by somebody who I feel like, if it came across their desk, it would be something that has been discussed,” Donohue added. “Obviously, nothing is official, but I think Yuki Tsunoda is certainly in the fold to land the second seat at Dale Coyne Racing.”

Donohue first heard the rumor in mid-September, before it resurfaced in recent weeks.

Grosjean and Hauger Among DCR Options

Until recently, Romain Grosjean the former F1 driver and IndyCar race winner was understood to be the frontrunner for the second DCR seat. However, if Tsunoda secures the drive, he would join Dennis Hauger, who signed with the team in September.

Interestingly, Hauger was also part of the Red Bull Junior Team, creating a potential reunion between the two former academy drivers.

Previous IndyCar Test

This wouldn’t be Tsunoda’s first experience with IndyCar machinery. In November 2024, he tested Chip Ganassi Racing’s Honda-powered car at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, under the guidance of six-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon.

The test was widely seen as a sign of Honda’s continued interest in Tsunoda’s career beyond F1 and could now prove to have been an early step toward a full-time move to the American series.

If the rumors prove true, Tsunoda would become the latest F1 driver to make the switch to IndyCar, following in the footsteps of Grosjean, Marcus Ericsson, and Takuma Sato another Honda-backed Japanese racer who went on to become a two-time Indianapolis 500 winner.

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