Why Red Bull's strategy for choosing Verstappen's teammate is under scrutiny

Since Daniel Ricciardo's departure at the end of 2018, Red Bull Racing has been searching for a suitable partner for Max Verstappen. It was already clear in 2018 that the Dutchman could lead the team, and Verstappen has continued to do so since then. However, the problem is that, for the seventh year in a row, he has had to almost do it alone.

In 2019, Red Bull Racing started with Pierre Gasly. A huge gamble. Gasly had only one year of Formula 1 experience and had not always been convincing in the years before. Helmut Marko delayed Gasly's F1 debut despite a GP2 title. According to Marko, Gasly was not ready for F1 in 2017, so he had to prove himself in Super Formula. Two years later, he was suddenly suitable for Red Bull Racing.

The gamble – unsurprisingly – did not pay off. After half a year, Gasly was already pushed aside. The many crashes, along with the fact that Gasly wanted to determine the setup himself, instead of looking at Max Verstappen's setup. Red Bull replaced Gasly, however, with someone even less experienced.

Alexander Albon had only six months of F1 experience and had not dazzled in that short period over Daniil Kvyat at Toro Rosso either. Like Gasly, there were also many doubts about Albon in previous years. He was kicked out of the Red Bull Junior Team, signed a Formula E contract because Marko said there was no seat for him in 2018, only to make a last-minute F1 debut because Ricciardo left and Gasly would take his spot.

Albon was given more time by Red Bull Racing, but he never made the desired progress in one and a half years. Albon continued to qualify about six-tenths away from Verstappen, a gap simply too large for a top team. For the first time since Ricciardo's departure, Red Bull Racing looked outside its own team and brought in Sergio Perez.

In the first two years, Perez played a good role within the team. In 2021, he played a minor role in Max Verstappen's title fight, but especially in 2022, the first year of the new regulations, Perez proved to be a fine second driver. Perez qualified, on average, three-tenths behind Verstappen and contributed with his points to the constructors' championship.

Beginning in 2023, Perez continued this trend, but after a new contract, it collapsed. Perez eventually qualified four tenths behind Verstappen in 2023, which even increased to five tenths by 2024. In 2024, the gap became more noticeable as the competition got closer. By the end of 2024, Red Bull decided to replace Perez.

However, Red Bull Racing appeared not to have learned from Gasly and Albon. Once again, a talent deemed too light for F1 not long before was prematurely promoted to the main team.

For Liam Lawson as well, it was far too great a leap. Before his debut at Red Bull Racing, Lawson had eleven Grands Prix under his belt. In those eleven races, Yuki Tsunoda had been better, yet Red Bull Racing chose Lawson's 'potential.' It turned out disastrously. Lawson raced two Grands Prix, and after being on average almost a second behind in the two qualifications, Red Bull opted for Yuki Tsunoda.

Tsunoda was the more logical choice a year earlier. The Japanese driver had, unlike Lawson, the experience to step into a top team. Tsunoda had been groomed at Racing Bulls for four years and had beaten all his teammates. Tsunoda owed his extra time at Racing Bulls to Honda's sponsorship, but if anybody from Red Bull was ready, it was him.

Instead of being able to undergo a full winter preparation, Tsunoda was suddenly thrown into an RB21, a car that even Max Verstappen is finding less and less to extract from. Tsunoda did better in the seven qualifications than Lawson, but the difference to Max is enormous: nearly seven tenths per qualification.

In the season where the field is extremely close because the F1 is in the last year of the current regulations, this is the death knell for a good place in the constructors. It also means that Red Bull Racing is, for yet another year, dependent on the feedback of one driver. While that is the best driver of the moment, feedback from two drivers is always better than one.

Tsunoda can hardly be blamed. He was not given the chance to prepare and must now perform out of nowhere at Red Bull Racing. With Honda leaving, support for Tsunoda within the team will decrease anyway, and it is likely that Red Bull Racing will look for a new driver for 2026.

With completely new regulations, this would be the moment to opt for a strong, experienced driver alongside Max Verstappen. A driver who can provide feedback together with Max Verstappen on the completely new car and engine to help advance the team. A driver who might only get a one-year contract, to prove every year to be the best option alongside the proven world champion.

Yet, for 2026, a young talent seems to be being pushed forward again. Inside Red Bull, everyone is ecstatic about Isack Hadjar. The Frenchman indeed makes a strong impression, but is he not like Gasly, Albon, and Lawson, the next to be moved up too soon? Is one year in F1 enough to make all the mistakes you need to make before going to a top team? It seems that this is only reserved for the very best, and whether Hadjar falls into that category is still up for debate.