Iconic Red Bull-Honda livery set to make a comeback as Yuki Tsunoda debuts for the team in Suzuka: Reports

Yuki Tsunoda is all set to make his Red Bull debut in Suzuka next week and reports suggest that the Austrian team is all set to bring back the iconic white livery from 2021, which was meant to be a tribute to their partnership with Honda. The Japanese company has heavily backed the driver from the same country, and have reportedly been behind getting him the seat in the first place.

Red Bull released the stunning designs for their Honda-inspired livery in 2021, which the team was supposed to role out during the Japanese Grand Prix that year. However, the event was eventually canceled so the team ran the livery in the Turkish Grand Prix, which was Suzuka's replacement.

Valtteri Bottas in his Mercedes won the race, while Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez rounded-off the podium, and also grabbed most of the headlines due to the striking look of their cars.

This year, Red Bull's sister team Racing Bull's livery is also inspired by the white design of what was known as the RB16B. On Friday, F1 journalist Thomas Maher reported that the senior team will now run a similar livery, as a homage to Honda, with the driver backed by them also in the car.

"Red Bull is set to race with a bespoke white livery, ala the RB16B, at next weekend's Japanese GP.", wrote Maher via X.

Yuki Tsunoda has replaced the outgoing Liam Lawson as Verstappen's teammate at the senior Red Bull team, as was announced on Thursday. The move to now run a special Honda livery, with the driver backed by them in the car, can be speculated to be a move to honor the Japanese automobile giants.

This year is also the last year of the Red Bull-Honda partnership, as the Milton Keynes based team is shifting to making their own power units in partnership with Ford from 2026 onwards. Honda are also shifting over to Aston Martin to develop the new regulations engines from next year.

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Honda reportedly pay Red Bull an 'eight-figure sum' each year to keep Yuki Tsunoda within the group

Yuki Tsunoda before the Chinese Grand Prix - Source: Getty

The Herald have reported that Honda pay Red Bull an eight-figure sum to keep Yuki Tsunoda at the team annually. But no reports as of yet have suggested that the Japanese company paid any extra compensation to make the 24-year-old's move to the senior team happen.

The outlet from New Zealand explained that Honda may also be paying even more to have Yuki Tsunoda at the Japanese Grand Prix. An excerpt from the article reads:

"The Herald understands Honda pays Red Bull an annual eight-figure sum to have Tsunoda in the team, with speculation of a further incentive payment for this Grand Prix. Whether or not a further payment has been made to formalise this switch is yet to be confirmed." [written by Alex Powell for the NZ Herald]

While Yuki Tsunoda moves over to Red Bull, Liam Lawson is making a move back to the Racing Bulls, after having spent sporadic stints with the team in both 2023 and 2024 previously.