Yuki Tsunoda's return to a Formula 1 cockpit at the Dutch Grand Prix has reignited questions about his future — and the Japanese driver couldn't resist having a little fun with the speculation.

Tsunoda, serving as a test and reserve driver for Red Bull this season, was drafted in to replace Liam Lawson at Racing Bulls for the Zandvoort weekend while Lawson filled in for the injured Isack Hadjar at Red Bull. After finishing 11th, just outside the points and ahead of his teammate, Tsunoda was asked in the post-race media pen whether his chances of returning to F1 in 2027 had improved.

He paused for several seconds, turned to his press officer for help, and then gave a light-hearted answer as he walked off: "Call me, please."

Shaking off the rust

Tsunoda hadn't raced since Abu Dhabi last season and had driven only four times in the interim — none of it in this regulation's car in a live race session until Friday. Despite the lack of preparation, he impressed throughout the weekend, staying close to teammate Arvid Lindblad's lap times and racing cleanly to 11th after qualifying 12th.

"I know what I can do, and I think I pretty much showed what I can do to most of the paddock," Tsunoda said. "With just one race and a couple of sessions, I was able to fight close to the points. Honestly, I think the outcome obviously (would have been) better scoring points, but I think I did as much as I can for now."

The main challenge, he revealed, was adapting to the different deployment buttons and procedures — everything has changed since the ground-effect era regulations came in. "I was able to progress faster than (I) expected," he added.

A driver market in limbo

With the 2027 driver lineups yet to be finalised, Tsunoda's stock may be rising. His performance at Zandvoort served as a reminder of his pace, and the light-hearted "call me" quip suggests he knows his value is being discussed behind closed doors. For now, he returns to his reserve role, waiting for the next opportunity — and hoping the phone rings.

The driver market as a whole remains unusually frozen, with several teams yet to confirm their 2027 lineups despite the season approaching its final stretch. As The Athletic noted, the uncertainty has created a logjam, with even established drivers unsure of their futures heading into next year.