Red Bull’s second seat crisis: Why Hülkenberg Might Be the Missing Piece in Verstappen’s Puzzle – Red Bull Racing’s long-standing philosophy of nurturing talent from within its junior programme is under more pressure than ever before. For years, Helmut Marko and Christian Horner have taken pride in turning promising youngsters into Grand Prix winners.
However, in the shadow of Max Verstappen’s relentless dominance, the second seat at Red Bull has become a revolving door of false starts, broken reputations and mounting frustration. With the 2025 season underway and Yuki Tsunoda proving to be another misfiring number two driver, the team finds itself in a familiar yet increasingly unsustainable position. Perhaps the answer lies not in the energy drink company’s pipeline, but in a veteran from outside their usual stable: Nico Hülkenberg.
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The Tsunoda conundrum
Red Bull’s current number two, Yuki Tsunoda, has been given what many would consider the opportunity of a lifetime: a chance to race alongside Max Verstappen in the main team. However, with opportunity comes expectation, and Tsunoda is wilting under the spotlight.
While he occasionally shows potential, as he did when he fought his way to a point from the pit lane in Imola, his inconsistency is proving costly. His crash in qualifying at Imola, a no-points weekend in Monaco and a disastrous last-place qualifying result in Spain have all highlighted a stark truth: he simply cannot match the standard required of a Red Bull driver — let alone Verstappen.
The narrative surrounding Tsunoda has shifted from one of raw talent and future promise to one of unforced errors, misjudged bravado and a mismatch between hype and delivery. Despite having competed in over 80 Grands Prix, it’s clear that Tsunoda has not filled the shoes of Sergio Perez in a way that serves Red Bull’s ambitions.
A retrospective on Pérez: was he really that bad?
In hindsight, the criticisms levelled at Sergio Pérez during his final year at Red Bull now seem overblown. Yes, he struggled to keep up with Verstappen, but then again, who doesn’t? Compared to the current crop of successors and prospects, Pérez’s 152-point haul in 2024 now looks positively Herculean. The Mexican veteran became the team’s reliable second fiddle, grabbing podiums when Verstappen won and salvaging results when the Dutchman faltered.
He wasn’t perfect, but he delivered far more than is being seen in 2025.
With just ten points to his name before the Canadian Grand Prix — and three of those scored while still driving for Racing Bulls in a sprint race — Tsunoda is nowhere near matching the standards set by Pérez. Red Bull may have been too quick to release Perez, especially when their alternatives were more hypothetical than proven.
Verstappen’s Setup: Built to Alienate
Part of the issue, of course, lies in the car itself. The RB21 is a machine tailored exclusively to Verstappen’s preferences. As Helmut Marko openly admitted, Verstappen demands a front end that’s sharp and responsive, one that can be turned in aggressively without fear.
Understeer is his mortal enemy. This car philosophy works magnificently for a driver of Verstappen’s skill, but it is borderline undrivable for nearly everyone else.
Perez, Gasly, Albon, Lawson and now Tsunoda have all struggled to adapt to Red Bull’s high-strung chassis design. They have all struggled to find balance, confidence and rhythm, and the results speak for themselves. If taming the second Red Bull proves impossible, the problem lies not just with the driver, but with a car that refuses to compromise.
Lawson’s Premature Exit and the Ghost of a Missed Opportunity
Perhaps the most puzzling move in this saga was the abrupt demotion of Liam Lawson. Thrust into the spotlight during his rain-hit debut in Melbourne, he was given barely a handful of races before being cast aside. Never mind that he outperformed Tsunoda in testing. Never mind that his calm, focused approach drew praise from insiders. It seemed that Red Bull had already made up its mind.
That decision has not aged well. Tsunoda is faltering, Hülkenberg is promising but inexperienced, and Red Bull is once again facing a season in which one car dominates while the other becomes a liability. In the era of cost caps and tight development windows, squandering the second seat isn’t a luxury Red Bull can afford anymore — it’s a strategic weakness.
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The Hadjar Gamble: Another rookie in the firing line?
If current form holds, Red Bull will be forced to make another change. Isack Hadjar, the young Frenchman currently impressing at Racing Bulls, seems the most likely candidate. He has received early praise from both Horner and Marko and exudes the quiet confidence of a future star. But the same could have been said about Gasly, Albon and Tsunoda before them.
The question isn’t whether Hadjar is talented — he is. The question is whether Red Bull are rushing another driver into such a high-pressure scenario against one of the most ruthlessly efficient champions the sport has ever seen. With sweeping engine and aerodynamic regulation changes looming in 2026, the last thing Red Bull needs is a rookie learning on the job.
Time for a rethink: why Hülkenberg makes sense.
Which brings us to Nico Hülkenberg. He’s a driver whose career has spanned over a decade and he’s earned a reputation for consistency, technical feedback and reliable racecraft. He’s not a title contender, but he doesn’t need to be. What Red Bull need is a dependable number two who won’t crash out in Q1, can translate a challenging car into regular points and won’t shy away from the Verstappen vortex.
Crucially, Hülkenberg gets along with Verstappen. He’s renowned for his rapport with engineers and his ability to articulate what the car is doing. At a time when Red Bull are designing their machine around a single driving style, they need someone who can provide an alternative perspective and help shape development with feedback that isn’t just Max’s.
However, there’s a catch: Hülkenberg is already under contract with Audi, where he is responsible for leading the German marque’s new F1 project into the top tier. Luring him away will be no easy feat. Even if it is possible to release him from his contract, will Audi really let go of their most experienced asset just a year before their official entry?
Slim pickings: The Lack of Viable Alternatives
If Hülkenberg is unavailable, Red Bull are left with a series of deeply flawed or unattainable options. Pierre Gasly is under contract with Alpine until 2026, and his previous time alongside Verstappen ended badly. Alex Albon is thriving at Williams and may not be in a hurry to return to the high-pressure environment at Red Bull. Carlos Sainz, ousted from Ferrari to make room for Hamilton, has already been passed over once for 2025 — a rejection that won’t be easily forgotten.
The fallback option of re-signing Pérez might still be plausible, though it is complicated by interest from Cadillac. The American team, which is entering F1 soon, would love to pair their new project with an experienced, marketable driver like Checo. Red Bull may find themselves not just in a race to replace Pérez, but also trying to stop him from walking straight into a rival’s arms.
An Internal Philosophy Under Siege
The deeper issue for Red Bull is philosophical. Their driver development model worked when there was flexibility in car design, when drivers could afford to make mistakes and learn from them, and when Verstappen wasn’t dominating the sport single-handedly.
Now, the system is cracking. Verstappen is relentless, the car is unforgiving and the pressure on young drivers is merciless. It’s no longer enough to be fast — you must be bulletproof. If Red Bull aren’t willing to ease the learning curve, perhaps they should admit that experience matters more than loyalty to the academy.
Nico Hülkenberg might not fit the traditional Red Bull profile. But right now, he could be exactly what they need. Until someone — anyone — proves capable of consistently delivering in the second car, Verstappen’s victories will remain lonely ones.
MORE F1 NEWS – Ferrari principal receives ‘the dreaded vote of confidence.’
A quick glance at the Formula One constructors’ championship standings might suggest that in second place, Ferrari are making a fist of the 2025 F1 season. Yet matters couldn’t be further from the truth and the paddock talk in Montreal has been yet again about Lewis Hamilton quitting together with the story which broke this week that the Ferrari group[ chairman may be looking for a new team boss.
With less than ten race weekends complete, Ferrari are a whopping 197 points behind McLaren and their position ahead of Red Bull and Mercedes has been boosted by them competing with teams which do not have two front line drivers, like Hamilton and Leclerc.
The Italian media has been reporting Ferrari are close to finishing up development on the SF-25 and shifting their resources and focus to the big rule changes coming for 2026. At best, the comedy in Maranello is amusing but in reality the team have blown a golden opportunity to fight for their first F1 title in eighteen years…. READ MORE
With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
