Formula 1 News: Red Bull delays driver call as Lindblad shines
(GMM) Red Bull has postponed its long-awaited driver announcements, even as rising star Arvid Lindblad (pictured) strengthens his claim for a 2026 Formula 1 seat.
Helmut Marko had suggested both Red Bull teams’ lineups would be settled by the Mexican Grand Prix weekend, but the decision has now been pushed back.
“We have some answers, but I can’t tell you what the driver lineup will look like,” Marko told Sky Italia.
“We’ll wait a bit and then make a decision. Let’s see what happens after the race here, and then we’ll at least give some comments.”
Still, the picture is becoming clearer. Lindblad is expected to step up to Racing Bulls in 2026, replacing Isack Hadjar, who is reportedly bound for Red Bull Racing. That leaves one seat potentially open – a showdown between Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson for the remaining seat.
Lindblad practiced in Max Verstappen’s car during FP1 in Mexico and impressed immediately – even lapping faster than Tsunoda.
“The team clearly told me, ‘Watch out, it’s Max’s car!'” the 18-year-old laughed. “Well, I think I did a good job, apart from a few minor mistakes.”
Marko agreed. “Lindblad has been on our list for a long time,” he told Blick. “Now he’s proven once again that we’re hardly off the mark with our assessment.
“It was a very difficult situation for Arvid – we asked him not to crash the car – but he performed strongly and was the fastest rookie. His technical feedback was also impressive, so we’re very happy with him.”
Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies said the team wants to give Tsunoda as much time as possible to show what he can do. “We want to give Yuki and all our other drivers as much time as possible,” Mekies confirmed.
“I know we’ve said in the past that we’d make a decision after Mexico, but we really don’t need to rush anything. We’ll take our time and when we’re ready, we’ll make a decision.”
Racing Bulls boss Alan Permane echoed that patience.
“It’s true that it will be after Mexico,” he confirmed. “But I don’t know if it will be right after Mexico or weeks later – maybe Brazil or Las Vegas, so don’t take it too literally.
“We have five drivers, and we know for sure that Max won’t be driving our car,” he joked. “There are four remaining, and we’re continuing to analyze the situation. But right now, both teams are locked in a tight Constructors’ Championship fight, so it’s best for us not to engage in driver negotiations that could affect our stability.”
Meanwhile, Hadjar – widely tipped to replace Tsunoda – is tired of fielding questions about his future. “Ideally, I’d like everyone to wait until the end of the season before asking me questions,” said the Frenchman, who is wearing an Alain Prost tribute helmet this weekend.
“This fuss is really annoying. But there wasn’t a single session this year where I was three-tenths slower and couldn’t explain why. That’s never happened to me before. So I’m pleased with myself – and that means Red Bull is probably pleased too.”
