Red Bull delays 2026 F1 driver plans: What’s the update?

Red Bull consultant Helmut Marko has often mentioned the Mexico Grand Prix as a “useful benchmark” for Red Bull’s driver selections within both teams. However, following the race that was won byLando Norris, the Austrian stated that the schedule has been delayed.

“We delayed our decision until the end of the season, as our initial priority is to concentrate on the championship competition,” he stated.

When questioned if this implies the official announcement will occur only after the season’s last race, Marko responded: “No, but it will take place in Abu Dhabi. We will concentrate on the championship first.”

Why Red Bull Is “Not in a Rush”

Team principal Laurent Mekies stated that the announcements will definitely take place prior to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, although it was acknowledged that the decisions have been postponed from the initial plan.

“We need a little more time before deciding on the drivers. Yuki [Tsunoda] is progressing, and the other young talents are also moving forward,” said Mekies, referring to the Racing Bulls pair.Isack Hadjar and Liam LawsonWe have no need to hurry with the decision, so we will spend a little longer.

The absence of urgency from Red Bull is due to the fact that all drivers are officially under Red Bull’s contract – not specifically linked to either of its teams. This gives the company the flexibility to rearrange the four drivers whenever needed. The drivers concerned have already been told that the decision-making process will take more time and have been formally requested to cooperate.

Besides maintaining full attention on Verstappen’s championship bid, the delay also allows Red Bull to gather additional data and details.

For the decision, we acknowledge that everyone wants us to decide quickly. However, we are not in a hurry. We will take as much time as necessary,” Mekies continued. “And we will provide these drivers with as many opportunities as possible to show on the track who the best drivers are.

Lindblad leaves a powerful impact on Red Bull executives

Besides Tsunoda and the Racing Bulls duo, current F2 driver Arvid Lindblad is also significantly involved in these discussions. The British-Swedish driver participated in FP1 during the Mexico GP event – and according to Red Bull’s management, he fulfilled all expectations.

“I believe he performed exceptionally well. It’s extremely challenging to rise up in FP1. Things are quite different now, as you don’t have many tires or many laps. But he did an outstanding job,” Mekies said.

You have reviewed all the timesheets yourself, yet he remained very composed and provided all the correct feedback. He didn’t make any mistakes, and he didn’t crash the car! So, honestly, he has made a strong impression on us during FP1. There’s no doubt about that. And we are looking forward to having him in the car again towards the end of the year.

After the Mexico event, Verstappen has relinquished his driving seat twice during practice sessions, ensuring that his side of the garage has met the rookie requirements. Tsunoda, on the other hand, still needs to give up his car one more time, with Lindblad once again being the top choice. At the end of the year, the Young Driver Test in Abu Dhabi offers the 18-year-old another chance to gain more F1 experience.

Two of the three choices now becoming evident?

Although Marko and Mekies keep mentioning “driver decisions,” the situation is already becoming clear behind the scenes. Hadjar still holds the strongest prospects of being promoted to partner Verstappen at Red Bull next year—a step that appears nearly certain. The same applies to Lindblad and Racing Bulls.

The Red Bull junior has faced a challenging season in F2, but Red Bull is not primarily evaluating him based on that. The decision-makers think the championship is hard to assess—partly because of the engines—and give more importance to Lindblad’s F1 appearances. So far, those have been acceptable.