Who will be Max Verstappen‘s next teammate? After a disappointing debut season at Red Bull, Yuki Tsunoda is clearly on the chopping block; he still has eight Grand Prix races left to prove himself at the top in Milton Keynes. However, German sources report that the promotion of Racing Bulls talent Isack Hadjar is already a done deal. His replacement at the sister team is also ready in the ranks.
It is well known that Red Bull can be tough on its drivers. The team management’s fuse is notoriously short; especially top advisor Helmut Marko can be relentless. This year, Liam Lawson was sacked after just two Grand Prix races. The New Zealander barely got a taste of the main team during the Grand Prix races in Australia and China before he had to return to Racing Bulls. Yuki Tsunoda inherited his seat, but the Japanese driver also pales in comparison to Max Verstappen.
With Isack Hadjar, Red Bull hopes to have a driver who can hold his own next to the Dutchman. The Frenchman consistently performs at Racing Bulls and even celebrated his first podium finish at the Zandvoort GP. According to the German Auto, Motor und Sport, it is now a public secret that the young Parisian will join Red Bull next year. Yuki Tsunoda is the loser in this case – even at Racing Bulls they already have a new talent in mind.
Arvid Lindblad
Rumor has it that the team from Faenza wants to continue with Arvid Lindblad. The British-Swedish Formula 2 driver has been part of Red Bull’s training program for some time and regularly shines in the feeder series. He has already won two races and is currently seventh in the overall standings. Earlier, the 18-year-old Lindblad was granted an FIA super license ahead of schedule at Red Bull’s insistence, allowing him to drive a free practice session at the British Grand Prix when he was just seventeen.
A promotion for Isack Hadjar could be a significant blow for Yuki Tsunoda, who has been dreaming of a Red Bull seat since his Formula 1 debut in 2021. However, the team seems to have more confidence in Hadjar. Helmut Marko previously referred to him as a ‘fast guy’ and praised the Frenchman’s mental resilience. “He certainly has the mental strength to hold his own alongside Verstappen,” said the Austrian. Being let go by Red Bull does not necessarily mean the end of Tsunoda’s Formula 1 career. Alpine, which is slowly losing confidence in Franco Colapinto, could reunite him with former teammate Pierre Gasly.
