Isack Hadjar will not be racing for the Red Bull main team this year, as confirmed by team boss Laurent Mekies during the race weekend in Monza. The young Parisian is considered one of the standout performers in 2025, particularly after his podium debut in Zandvoort. After fifteen Grand Prix races, the Racing Bulls rookie is in a solid tenth place in the championship. However, there will be (yet) no driver swap. He himself says he is focusing on a possible promotion in 2026.
Yuki Tsunoda was brought to Red Bull during his home race in April; after four years with Racing Bulls, formerly AlphaTauri, he inherited the seat from a struggling Liam Lawson. Yet, the Japanese driver is not doing much better than his predecessor. In thirteen Grand Prix races, he has only collected nine World Championship points. Meanwhile, Hadjar has been turning heads at sister team Racing Bulls, leading to speculation about a new driver swap within the Red Bull ranks.
No Rushed Decisions
In the run-up to the Italian GP, Hadjar, who celebrated his first podium in Formula 1 a week earlier, emphasized that it now ‘makes no sense’ to go to Red Bull. He is focusing on the current season to possibly have a chance at promotion in 2026. During a press conference, team boss Laurent Mekies agreed. “We have very clearly and publicly admitted that we are taking our time with our line-up,” said the Frenchman. “We have enough drivers within our training program to cover different scenarios for next year. Therefore, there is no reason to make rushed decisions now.””No, we do not plan to switch again during the season,” Mekies emphasized when asked. “Yuki Tsunoda has made good strides in the last three races.” After seven Grands Prix without scoring points, the 25-year-old driver finished in the top ten in Zandvoort. “Of course we want more, but he is doing well. He is clearly on the rise.” As for Isack Hadjar, the Red Bull team boss remains unreservedly positive: “It is obviously great to see his progress at Racing Bulls. His performance in the last race proves how much progress he has made this season. That being said, we are very relaxed about the future line-up; we hold all the cards, which means we can take a few more weeks – or months – to make a decision.”
