Formula 1 News: Red Bull’s 2026 Driver Lineup Decision Looms After Mexico City GP
Red Bull Racing is poised to announce its 2026 Formula 1 driver lineup following the Mexico City Grand Prix, marking a pivotal moment in the team’s planning for the upcoming regulatory changes.
Motorsport advisor Helmut Marko has set a clear timeline, emphasizing the need to finalize decisions by year-end. “We want a guideline in place after Mexico,” Marko told RTL. “The end of the year is the very last date for us.”
This accelerated approach deviates from Red Bull’s tradition of delaying driver decisions until the season’s close, signaling confidence in gathering sufficient data by late October.
Who’s in the Running for Red Bull’s 2026 Seats?
Three drivers—Yuki Tsunoda, Liam Lawson, and Isack Hadjar—are vying for seats within the Red Bull family, with the main Red Bull Racing team and its sister squad, Racing Bulls, both in play.
Isack Hadjar, a 20-year-old French-Algerian rookie, is the frontrunner to partner Max Verstappen at Red Bull Racing. His standout third-place finish at Zandvoort has positioned him as a serious contender, with sources like Auto Motor und Sport reporting he’s “on pole position” for the seat.
Marko praised Hadjar’s rapid adaptation, noting, “Within two or three laps, he’s with the music,” and expressed confidence in his mental resilience to race alongside Verstappen.
Yuki Tsunoda, however, faces intense pressure to secure his Red Bull Racing seat. Since his promotion from Racing Bulls, Tsunoda endured a seven-race pointless streak before a P10 finish in the Netherlands and a season-best P6 in Azerbaijan. Team principal Laurent Mekies remains supportive, stating, “It’s good news to see Yuki keeping up. He deserves it.”
Despite this, Tsunoda’s nine points in 14 races pale against Hadjar’s momentum, making the upcoming races critical for the Japanese driver.
Liam Lawson, currently at Racing Bulls, is also in contention, potentially for a seat at either team. Meanwhile, Formula 2’s Arvid Lindblad is a candidate for a Racing Bulls promotion, which could squeeze Tsunoda or Lawson out entirely.
Decisive Races Ahead
The evaluation period spans three crucial races: Singapore’s unforgiving street circuit, Austin’s diverse track layout, and Mexico City’s high-altitude challenge. These races will test the drivers’ adaptability, speed, and consistency, shaping Red Bull’s lineup for 2026’s new regulations.
With Hadjar favored, Tsunoda fighting to prove himself, and Lawson in the mix, the outcome will define individual careers and influence Red Bull’s competitiveness in Formula 1’s next era.