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Red Bull might look to slow down about deciding its 2026 driver lineup amid Yuki Tsunoda's recent turn of form. The Austrian outfit's senior advisor, Helmut Marko, explained after the US Grand Prix that making the call on who will drive for them next season was "not our priority" at the moment.
Yuki Tsunoda had troubles in qualifying for both the Sprint and the main race at the US GP weekend, but made brilliant comebacks on both occasions to finish seventh each time. His weekend in Austin was a positive one, and it might have forced Red Bull to rethink things ahead of the Mexico City GP.
Helmut Marko had previously claimed that the announcement of who will drive at Red Bull and Racing Bulls in 2026 will come after next week's race in the Mexican capital. However, the 82-year-old made a different statement after the race in Austin, claiming that the decision was not at the top of their priority list at the moment.
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“That’s not our priority at the moment. In general, this is planned. Let’s see to what extent we can decide then," Marko told Sky Germany, via PlanetF1.
This suggests that Red Bull might well be delaying the decision further, thanks to Yuki Tsunoda's turn in form. But, it could also mean that Marko is looking to keep his cards close to his chest and not reveal any information ahead of the announcement.
It is widely expected that Isack Hadjar will receive a promotion to drive alongside Max Verstappen at the senior team in 2026. Junior driver Arvid Lindblad is also reported to be getting a shot at the Racing Bulls team next year.
If things pan out this way, what will remain to be seen is who between Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson takes the second seat at RB.
Helmut Marko praises Yuki Tsunoda's US GP performance
Red Bull's Helmut Marko also praised Yuki Tsunoda's performance at the US GP on Sunday, claiming that the 25-year-old was showing an "upward trend" at the moment. The Austrian also added that Tsunoda's performance could come in handy in the world championship fight.
Speaking to the aforementioned outlet on Sunday, Marko said:
"He had a very good start and was competitive when he had a clear run. So there is an upward trend there as well. He’s stabilising and that’s very important in the world championship fight."
Marko could well be alluding to the fact that if Tsunoda continues improving, he could aid Max Verstappen's bid for the drivers' title. The Dutchman is now just 40 points behind championship leader Oscar Piastri with five rounds to go in 2025.
The Japanese driver also added six points to the Red Bull team's total, as they continue to be well in contention to finish second in the constructors' standings. The Milton Keynes-based outfit is just 10 points off Mercedes in second and only three points off Ferrari in third.
