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Red Bull Racing reflects calmly on Verstappen's teammate in 2026

14:50, 01 Sep

byLudo van Denderen

With an as unexpected as handsome third place, Isack Hadjar seemed to once again demonstrate that he is ready for the promotion from Racing Bulls to Red Bull Racing. However, Laurent Mekies, the team boss of the Austrian stable, chooses to hold his horses.

Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls are two teams under the umbrella of Red Bull. Drivers who race for one team can easily be moved up to the other team. In short, Red Bull Racing is not in any hurry to decide who will be driving next to Max Verstappen in 2026.

Mekies does not allow himself to be pressured

Hadjar's third place does not change this attitude, says Laurent Mekies. "Why would you put yourself under pressure based on a result or another?”, the Frenchman wonders aloud, in conversation with among others GPblog.

“Hence, the simple truth is that we will take our time. There are nine races to go.

"I'm not telling you that we will wait until the last race, because also there is a dynamic by which you want to let your driver know. But we have time.”

Team boss Mekies sees an upward trend with Tsunoda

Does Tsunoda stand a chance?

At the moment, Yuki Tsunoda is Verstappen's teammate. The Japanese could convince Mekies and the other decision-makers at Red Bull in the coming weeks to continue with him.

Mekies was satisfied with Tsunoda's performance in Zandvoort. “I think it's still a positive trend for Yuki,” says the team boss, who saw the Japanese finish in the points for the first time in a long while.

“We just want to see him continue to progress, continue to close the gap to Max and that's the main parameter and continue to score points because that's ultimately what it is about.”