Who will drive alongside Verstappen in 2026? The question of who will partner Max Verstappen at Red Bull Racing in 2026 remains open, and according to team principal Laurent Mekies, it will not be resolved any time soon. Speaking during the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, Mekies stressed that the team is in no hurry to make a decision, preferring to allow the remainder of the season to unfold before committing to a choice.
“The reality for us is that we’re not putting ourselves under pressure,” explained Mekies, who assumed the team leadership role following Christian Horner’s departure in July. “We want to give the situation more time and then make the decision that best suits our future.”
Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s long-time motorsport consultant, struck a similar tone. He confirmed that the team and several of its drivers have agreed to extend options, creating flexibility while the season progresses. “We want to have a few more races and observe, and then make the decisions,” Marko told Sky.
Mekies highlights Tsunoda’s progress
Since the third round of the 2025 Formula One season, Yuki Tsunoda has been occupying the second Red Bull seat, replacing Liam Lawson. The Japanese driver has collected seven points to date and sits 18th in the drivers’ standings. His performance has not yet secured him a contract extension, leaving his future uncertain.
Red Bull’s second seat has been something of a revolving door in recent years. Lawson, Sergio Perez, Alex Albon, and Pierre Gasly all found themselves unable to match Verstappen consistently, and none managed to retain the drive long-term. Despite this track record, Mekies has not indicated an urgent desire to make changes. He pointed out that Tsunoda has shown measurable progress in recent races, citing Belgium where Tsunoda achieved his best qualifying performance of the year with seventh place.
“We’re happy to have Yuki in the car,” Mekies stated, while adding that Racing Bulls continues to provide a valuable proving ground for assessing Red Bull’s wider pool of young talent.
Future prospects for the Racing Bulls drivers
In addition to Lawson’s ongoing work with the junior team, Isack Hadjar has impressed with unexpectedly strong showings since the beginning of the campaign. Mekies was quick to highlight Hadjar’s name alongside Lawson’s when discussing potential long-term options.
Red Bull currently sits fourth in the Constructors’ Championship, trailing Mercedes by 42 points. Mekies has made clear that the focus for the immediate future is not on 2026, but on maximising performance in the ten races that remain this season. “We understand the questions and impatience surrounding this issue,” he acknowledged. “But for us, it’s primarily about getting our drivers in the best possible position for the rest of the year. In a few months, we’ll make the best decision together.”
A familiar problem, an unfamiliar patience
What makes the current situation unusual is Red Bull’s apparent willingness to wait. Historically, the team has not hesitated to make swift changes if it felt performance was lacking. Pierre Gasly was demoted mid-season in 2019, Alex Albon lost his seat at the end of 2020, and Sergio Perez, despite being the most enduring partner to Verstappen, often appeared to be driving on borrowed time.
Yet now, under Mekies’ stewardship, the messaging suggests a softer, more measured approach. This could be a recognition that Verstappen’s dominance allows for more breathing room, or it could simply be a way of buying time while evaluating the next generation of drivers. Either way, the second Red Bull seat remains the most scrutinised position in the sport outside of Ferrari.
Honda admit Verstappen the key to their PU development
The revolving door of Verstappen’s teammates
Since Verstappen’s arrival at the team in 2016, the Dutchman has had a string of teammates who have struggled to match his relentless pace and racecraft. Daniel Ricciardo was the last driver who came close, and even then Verstappen gradually tilted the balance in his favour before Ricciardo departed for Renault. Perez’s time at Red Bull saw highs such as his role in Verstappen’s 2021 title fight, but more often highlighted the gulf between the pair.
Tsunoda’s chance is therefore as much a test of patience as of performance. If he can continue to make small gains and prove consistency, Red Bull may be tempted to keep him for continuity. If not, the team will look elsewhere – to Lawson, Hadjar, or perhaps to an external recruit if the internal pool cannot provide the right candidate.
TJ13’s view of Red Bull’s revolving door
One cannot help but picture Red Bull headquarters with a revolving door specially engraved “Max’s Next Teammate.” Engineers might as well keep a stack of overalls in every size, ready to hand out whenever a new hopeful arrives. Tsunoda, Lawson, Hadjar – it sometimes feels as though the second car exists less as a championship contender and more as a live audition stage for whoever dares to try keeping Verstappen within sight.
Helmut Marko, never shy of colourful phrasing, could probably publish a coffee table book titled How Not to Be Max’s Teammate. Chapter one: “Do not qualify six places behind him.” Chapter two: “Do not get lapped.” Chapter three: “Avoid letting him lap you twice.” The book would sell out instantly among nervous young drivers.
As for Mekies, perhaps his strategy is to wait so long that Verstappen’s next teammate is simply Verstappen himself. If cloning technology advances quickly enough, Red Bull might finally have the perfect partner – one capable of matching Max corner for corner, moan for moan, and perhaps even giving him a taste of his own relentless competitiveness.
Verdict
For now, Red Bull will keep its options open, Tsunoda will keep trying to prove himself, and Verstappen will keep driving at a level that makes any comparison cruel. The real decision will likely come toward the end of the year, when performance trends become clearer and patience runs out. Until then, the jury is left to speculate, as always, on who will brave the hottest seat in Formula One.
So, what do you think, dear jury? Is Red Bull’s patience with Tsunoda a sign of faith, or merely a pause before the next inevitable change? Who would you place alongside Verstappen in 2026, and why?
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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.
