Even in 2025, the seat next to Max Verstappen remains a headache for Red Bull. After the Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix, the team decided to swap Liam Lawson for Yuki Tsunoda, but that has not proven to be the solution yet. Since his promotion, the Japanese driver has only scored nine points and sits 19th in the championship standings, with only Franco Colapinto and Jack Doohan behind him.
At the same time, Isack Hadjar is impressing the Red Bull bosses as a rookie. It is no coincidence that Helmut Marko, after Hadjar’s first F1 podium finish, said Hadjar can withstand the pressure of the seat alongside Verstappen: “Isack is different,” said the 82-year-old Austrian. Those words reflect how Red Bull views Hadjar and also which direction the driver choice for 2026 is currently heading.
