Ted Kravitz drops major hint on Red Bull’s Racing Bulls driver decision

Sky Sports’ Ted Kravitz expects Liam Lawson to get the nod over Yuki Tsunoda at Racing Bulls for the 2026 F1 season.

Red Bull are still undecided on three of their four seats for next year.

Max Verstappen has confirmed that he will remain with the team in 2026, ending speculation linking him to Mercedes.

Isack Hadjar is expected to be Verstappen’s teammate next season following an outstanding rookie campaign.

That leaves two seats available at Racing Bulls.

Tsunoda spent over four seasons at Red Bull’s junior team before getting an opportunity alongside Verstappen earlier this year.

The Japanese driver appears to have not done enough to stay within the Red Bull family - unsurprising given his lacklustre results and the fact that Red Bull’s partnership with Honda is coming to an end.

Lawson has slowly rediscovered his form after a torrid spell at Red Bull at the start of the year.

The Kiwi starred at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix with a one-stop strategy, securing seventh and beating teammate Hadjar.

Kravitz expects Lawson to remain at Racing Bulls, potentially teaming up with Formula 2 star Arvid Lindblad.

“We think we’re heading towards knowing what the Racing Bulls line-up is for next year, which is probably not going to be Yuki Tsunoda,” Kravitz said on his post-race notebook.

“It’s probably going to be Liam Lawson, and we think, maybe, that Arvid Lindblad has a better chance than maybe he did a month or so ago. We will see and find out.”

What next for Tsunoda?

With no seats currently available on the grid for next year, should Tsunoda be dropped by Red Bull, his options appear limited.

Honda will likely want a Japanese driver on their books for 2026.

The Japanese manufacturer will team up with Aston Martin next year as they become a works team.

Aston Martin will be the only constructor on the grid to race with Honda power.

Tsunoda could join the team as a test and reserve driver, particularly as Felipe Drugovich focuses on his Formula E career.

Haas could be another option, given their links to Toyota.

Esteban Ocon’s disappointing form - and Ollie Bearman’s potential promotion to Ferrari in the near future - could give Tsunoda a better chance of returning to the grid in 2027.

Cadillac will join the F1 grid in 2026 as the 11th team.

However, they have opted for race-winning experience, signing Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez.