It seems that Red Bull has already made its decision regarding the 2026 driver line-up. Laurent Mekies has confirmed that the team will announce the 2026 roster before the season finale in Abu Dhabi, explaining that they didn’t want to rush the decision. All drivers, including the two currently in Red Bull cars, have been given the opportunity to showcase their abilities until the very end to ensure the best choices are made for next year.
After Max Verstappen’s victory in Qatar, the Team Principal and CEO confirmed that the driver line-up will be made public on Tuesday. There are already hints, with junior driver Isack Hadjar confirming in interviews before the Doha weekend that he will be on the grid next season. While he did not specify which team, many believe he will be promoted from the Red Bull junior team, Racing Bulls, to the top team.
It is also speculated that Arvid Lindblad, another Red Bull junior driver, could be selected for the RB line-up in 2026 to fill the spot left by the French rookie. This, however, leaves a seat in the junior team still open, potentially for Yuki Tsunoda, who has shown he deserves to remain among the 22 drivers next season. For now, these are only speculations, and the full announcement will be made Tuesday.
The words of Mekies
Asked about Red Bull’s plans after the Qatar Grand Prix, Laurent Mekies confirmed that the 2026 line-up decision will be announced on Tuesday.
“All I can say is that we will stick to our plan and announce the driver line-up on Tuesday,” the Team Principal stated. “We are confident this will not distract from Abu Dhabi.”
Indeed, after the Qatar victory, if Verstappen also wins in Abu Dhabi, the championship battle could still change, particularly if Lando Norris finishes no higher than fourth. Any assistance from Tsunoda could make the difference between a spectacular fifth world title for the Dutchman or a first championship for one of the two McLaren drivers. Laurent Mekies therefore does not want any additional distractions during such a crucial weekend that could make F1 history.
“Everything could come down to the last moment. It could be extremely important,” added the Frenchman, highlighting the significance of the second car. “Today you saw Lando [Norris] fall back in the pack behind Kimi [Antonelli] and Carlos [Sainz]. But he was very close to dropping behind Fernando [Alonso] and the other drivers, where potentially Yuki could have been.”
“It will be extremely important to have Yuki at 100%. He had a fantastic weekend with us. Excellent Friday, excellent in the sprint – fifth. Yes, he was out in Q1, but he was only three tenths from Max. There are many drivers who would be happy to be three tenths from Max in qualifying.”
“So he had a fantastic weekend. We need another fantastic weekend in Abu Dhabi, because everything will help us,” he concluded.
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