Helmut Marko gives update on when Yuki Tsunoda’s Red Bull future will be decided

Helmut Marko has clarified when Red Bull will make a decision on their F1 driver line-up for next year.

The identity of Max Verstappen’s F1 teammate for 2026 is still unclear.

Liam Lawson was handed Sergio Perez’s seat, but was dropped by Red Bull after just two races.

Yuki Tsunoda has struggled since getting his chance with the team, scoring just a handful of points.

It’s likely Red Bull will make a change, particularly given Isack Hadjar’s impressive form this year.

Hadjar is widely regarded as F1’s rookie of the season, but whether he’s ready to go up against Verstappen remains to be seen.

Marko confirmed that a decision won’t be taken for at least another month.

Speaking to Sky Germany, Marko said: “We’ve extended the options, or rather, the drivers have extended them with us.

“So, around September or October, we want to have a few more races to observe, and then we’ll make the decisions.”

Tsunoda on F1 future

While Tsunoda has generally been disappointing since being promoted to Red Bull, he’s shown some improvement in recent rounds.

This has been down to Red Bull giving him the latest upgrade package, meaning he has equal equipment. 

Speaking about his future, Tsunoda said: “Maybe Helmut's thinking in the background [about sending me back to Racing Bulls]. I never know what he's thinking, to be honest.

“But for now, I understand he's looking for me to show the performance. I think last two races, actually, like I said, after I got upgrades, there's some recognition from that performance. Actually, there's a huge difference before that. And I think that helps him and myself to give a bit more time to see how this situation evolves.

“I think he supported me quite a lot. But obviously, he's also quite a straightforward guy. He's here for the team and he wants to have points as much as possible. So, I need to perform for sure.

“But if I understand it correctly, he's still waiting a bit of time to define what's good for Red Bull. And I think let's see for Racing Bulls or whatever. They're performing currently quite well. And it's a team that I have been for a long time. So, obviously, my main goal is to still stick with Red Bull. But let's see.”