The French rookie appears to have clinched the seat, but Tsunoda and Lawson still fight for the final assignments.
Europe, September 2025. Red Bull seems to have nearly finalized its driver lineup for the 2026 Formula One season. According to insiders, Isack Hadjar, the young French driver currently racing with Racing Bulls, is on the brink of being promoted to Red Bull Racing to partner with four-time world champion Max Verstappen. Sources close to Helmut Marko and media reports suggest the decision is “a fait accompli,” with an announcement expected in the coming months.
Hadjar’s rise has been fueled by a strong debut season with Racing Bulls. He has impressed with consistency, technical maturity, and a recent podium at Zandvoort that strengthened his case as the natural successor to the current teammate of Verstappen. Hadjar is widely seen as the candidate who best matches performance potential and development trajectory. His age—turning twenty-one soon—adds to the daylighting of his career path, showing that Red Bull is doubling down on cultivating young talent.
While Hadjar appears the front‐runner, there remains competition for places across Red Bull’s two teams. On one side is Yuki Tsunoda, who has experience in the senior team but whose performance this season has been under intense scrutiny. On the other is Liam Lawson, who has also ridden the wave of Red Bull’s junior structure and has had moments of promise. The remaining seats in Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls are tightly contested. Those in decision-making roles are observing the performances over the next few races as deciding factors.
For Tsunoda, challenges are multiple. He has the backing of long-standing alliances, including partnerships with Honda and support inside Red Bull’s management. However, with Honda’s exit as engine supplier looming in 2026, his institutional backing may weaken. Tsunoda will need strong results in the near future to validate his case. Lawson, in contrast, has the advantage of momentum and potential but must show consistency under pressure to surpass the others in scrutiny.
Beyond performance numbers, there are strategic factors at play. Red Bull has the benefit of having a junior squad, Racing Bulls, through which it can stage development more slowly. Young drivers can grow with less pressure, prove themselves in lesser spotlight settings, and then move up. Hadjar’s recent behavior, adaptability, and ability to cope with media and technical demands have impressed people beyond his results. Meanwhile, the team is aware that pairing drivers with too much disparity in skill or experience next to Verstappen can lead to internal tension, public comparisons, and potential distractions.
The decision framework is expected to culminate around the time of the Mexican Grand Prix, when Red Bull traditionally makes major driver announcements. It is anticipated that by that time the front-runner will be confirmed. Some scenarios suggest that Hadjar will take the Red Bull Racing seat, while Lawson and Tsunoda might be placed or repositioned between Racing Bulls and available backup roles depending on performance. Arvid Lindblad, another junior driver, is also in view for Racing Bulls entry, though his promotion is considered less certain than Hadjar’s leap to the primary team.
If Hadjar is confirmed, he would become the seventh teammate of Verstappen since Verstappen’s debut with Red Bull. His elevation would signal Red Bull’s preference for grooming a competitive partner who can challenge but also learn, rather than retaining more experienced names whose performance is currently more erratic or contested. For Hadjar, the leap represents not only recognition of his talent but also a massive increase in expectation and visibility.
For Tsunoda, the implications are stark. Even with support from parts of the team, he may face a transition to either proving his worth in fewer remaining races or shifting roles. For Lawson, even if he does not get the premium seat, the competition itself enhances his profile and could lead to better opportunities within Red Bull or elsewhere.
In sum, Red Bull appears close to concluding what has been one of its most closely watched internal decisions. Hadjar is heavily favored to join Verstappen next season. Yet the final word is still pending, dependent on final evaluations, contractual details, and possibly the outcome of a few pivotal races. The decision will shape not only Red Bull’s competitiveness in 2026 but also the career arcs of several young drivers vying for top-tier seats.
Detrás de cada dato, hay una intención. Detrás de cada silencio, una estructura.
Behind every fact, there is an intention. Behind every silence, a structure.