Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has confirmed the team will start reviewing its driver line-up after the summer break, as they decide who will race alongside Max Verstappen next season.
The second Red Bull seat remains open for 2026. Yuki Tsunoda, who took over from Liam Lawson earlier this year, is only contracted until the end of the current season. Since joining, Tsunoda has had a tough run, he’s been knocked out in Q1 four times in the last eight races and hasn’t scored a point in the past seven.
However, Tsunoda did show signs of pace, coming within two-tenths of Verstappen in Hungary, which drew praise from both Marko and team principal Laurent Mekies.
Red Bull will also assess Liam Lawson and young driver Isack Hadjar as possible options. “We always evaluate our drivers after the summer break,” Marko told F1-Insider. “Everything is still open. We look at their strengths and weaknesses.”
Verstappen has already confirmed he’ll continue with Red Bull in 2026, meaning the team only need to confirm his partner. Marko made it clear what the team expects from whoever gets the seat.
“Anyone racing next to Max has to stop trying to beat him,” Marko said. “They need to focus on getting the best out of themselves and helping the team. Right now, it’s impossible to beat Max.”
This is a crucial period for Red Bull as they prepare to switch from Honda engines to their own power units in 2026. Honda, who’ve supported Tsunoda since 2016, will partner Aston Martin next year.
Marko also confirmed that discussions are already taking place between Red Bull and Honda about Tsunoda’s future. “Yuki has always been supported by Honda, and talks are ongoing. We’ll see what happens,” he told Krone Zeitung.
