Worrying verdict for Yuki Tsunoda as Helmut Marko looks into his crystal ball

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko says the team’s 2026 driver line-up remains “completely open” as speculation continues over who will partner Max Verstappen.

Ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix, Verstappen confirmed he will remain with the team until 2026, ending months of rumours about a possible switch to Mercedes.

Red Bull remain undecided on which driver will partner Verstappen next year.

The team dropped Liam Lawson after just two races, while Yuki Tsunoda hasn’t fared much better.

Since joining Red Bull, Tsunoda has scored points in just three races, leaving him 18th in the F1 drivers’ championship.

The Japanese driver’s form has recently picked up, with Red Bull giving him the latest-spec upgrade package.

Tsunoda was knocked out in Q1, but his deficit to Verstappen was just under two-tenths. 

Red Bull doesn’t have many options for next year, as the driver market is quite static, with the majority of the grid locked in with their current teams.

Speaking to F1 Insider, Marko revealed that Red Bull will continue to “make our driver evaluations after the summer break”.

“We traditionally make our driver evaluations after the summer break, and then it will be decided how the driver line-up for next year will look, perhaps partly even later,” Marko explained.

“At present, everything is open… We’re evaluating performances. No decision has been made either way.”

Is Isack Hadjar set for Red Bull?

Red Bull junior Isack Hadjar has been one of the revelations of the 2025 F1 season.

Hadjar is regarded as F1’s rookie of the year so far, generally outperforming Lawson since his demotion back to Racing Bulls.

Lawson’s performances have picked up in recent races, putting more pressure on Hadjar.

Red Bull will have to decide whether sticking with Tsunoda is a viable solution or if Hadjar is ready for a chance alongside Verstappen.

Red Bull have Arvid Lindblad waiting in the wings for an F1 opportunity. 

The 18-year-old is currently racing in Formula 2 and tested for the team earlier this year.

Tsunoda losing his spot on the grid, with Hadjar taking his place, seems the likeliest outcome, especially if the former’s results don’t pick up in the final 10 rounds of the year.