The Formula 1 off-season has allowed drivers to take a much-needed breather from their hectic schedules. That said, many drivers find themselves seeking the adrenaline anyway and end up at adventure sports events.
Yuki Tsunoda is one of those drivers as he ended up at a snowboarding event in Austria alongside ex-F1 driver and four-time world champion, Sebastian Vettel. The duo dropped an appearance at the Hahnenkamm Race Kitzbühel in Austria.
This iteration of the snowboarding extravaganza was the 85th running of the event. Pictures doing the rounds of X (formerly Twitter) showcase both drivers in Austria. However, the tone of the fans suggests that they were unannounced, surprise guests!
While both Vettel and Tsunoda were at the event, the former Red Bull driver did not partake in the action. On the other hand, the 2025 RB driver did try his hand at snowboarding, even tumbling down the hill after a slight mistake.
Yuki Tsunoda snowboarding in some event in Austria #YT22 pic.twitter.com/Qpw2Sz5QxY
— Hawk (@Hawk9248) January 25, 2025
Other snaps from the event suggested that the Japanese racing ace was in Austria representing Red Bull. Vettel, on the other hand, was in civilian clothing, and hence, it cannot be said that he was at the event at the invitation of his former F1 employers.
Tsunoda continues to represent Red Bull despite the snub
Tsunoda will enter the 2025 season — his sixth full-time season in the sport — as an RB driver after once again getting snubbed for a promotion to the senior Red Bull team. Despite the same, he’s still dropping appearances on behalf of Red Bull.
With Red Bull overlooking Tsunoda again despite the Japanese driver impressing many last season, it raises serious questions about the future of the 24-year-old. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has already revealed that his side cannot afford to keep Tsunoda beyond 2025 if they fail to help him get a promotion to the senior team this year itself.
Being a Honda-backed driver, Tsunoda might find himself out of the Red Bull fold once the Japanese automotive giants shift allegiances to Aston Martin from 2026 onwards.
