When Will Red Bull Confirm their Driver Lineups? Marko Explains
Nov.7 - Dr Helmut Marko has confirmed that Red Bull will make its long-awaited 2026 driver decisions at the season-ending Abu Dhabi GP - after previously suggesting an announcement would come in Mexico.
"We have an option on all drivers and will decide in Abu Dhabi," Marko told Kleine Zeitung. "We'll be watching the next few races closely, and then we'll make a decision."
The 82-year-old Austrian is understood to favour promoting Isack Hadjar to replace Yuki Tsunoda at Red Bull Racing - while team principal Laurent Mekies and Red Bull GmbH boss Oliver Mintzlaff are reportedly still open to keeping Tsunoda for another year.
Hadjar, currently impressing on debut at Racing Bulls, said at Interlagos that he's unfazed by the delay.
"I mean, to be honest, it's something I'm used to," he said. "I never signed a contract or had something announced before the end of the season in my whole career. So I always had to keep my head down and keep pushing until the very final lap.
"For me, it's nothing new, and that's how it works with Red Bull."
Despite a viral clip this week showing Tsunoda lost at Sao Paulo airport without a team liaison to meet him, the Japanese driver insists he remains focused and confident.
"Across the last two weekends the car has felt great when it has come to race pace," he said. "I'm lapping very close to Max and I feel confident in the car and the updates we have made."
Meanwhile, Liam Lawson, whose season initially at Red Bull and then at Racing Bulls has been turbulent, may be forced out of Formula 1 in favour of Arvid Lindblad.
"We're all aware that decisions are coming towards the end of the year," he said at Interlagos, "but the message to us has always been the same - it is to perform," Lawson said.
"That's what I'm trying to do, and that is what is going to determine next year."
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So the third paragraph means that Mekies & Mintzlaff are in favor of keeping Tsunoda at Red Bull Racing.
I still think Red Bull should just keep both lineups unchanged rather than change anyone for the sake of changing, especially as neither Hadjar nor Lindblad are in a hurry.
Not sure why Dr Marko is being asked, everyone should know it's up to Family Max as to just how poorer a second driver Max wants.
There's no way Tsunoda will be driving for RB next year, he should be swapped with either Hadjar, Lindblad or the catering driver for the last 3 races of the year too.