Helmut Marko ‘smiled’ when one 2026 Red Bull driver line-up was suggested to him, it’s bad news for Yuki Tsunoda

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Red Bull Racing are one of a handful of teams that are yet to confirm their driver line-up for the 2026 Formula 1 season.

Max Verstappen has a long-term deal at Red Bull, but even that doesn’t appear to be set in stone.

Verstappen has a get-out clause that Mercedes appear to be keen for the four-time world champion to utilise ahead of next season.

Helmut Marko is the man in charge of developing Red Bull’s drivers and has a large say in the make-up of both line-ups on the grid, including Racing Bulls’ pairing.

Marko isn’t worried about Verstappen leaving Red Bull, but the second seat needs to be resolved alongside him.

Yuki Tsunoda was promoted to replace Liam Lawson earlier in the year, but it’s not a move that’s worked out for either party.

Lawson leapfrogged Tsunoda in the drivers’ championship after the Austrian Grand Prix, leaving the Japanese driver in 17th place in the standings.

Journalist Andrew Benson put a combination of drivers to Marko for next season, and the veteran Austrian couldn’t hide his delight.

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Helmut Marko ‘smiled’ at Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar 2026 Red Bull partnership idea

Benson was speaking on the Chequered Flag Podcast after the race in Austria, where Red Bull failed to score a point in front of their home crowd.

Verstappen’s race lasted just a few corners before he was taken out by Andrea Kimi Antonelli, with the pressure placed on Tsunoda to deliver in the second car.

Unfortunately, pressure continues to grow on Tsunoda as he finished the race in last after picking up a penalty for crashing into Franco Colapinto while also colliding with Lance Stroll.

Benson was reflecting on Red Bull’s driver problem and suggested: “So I don’t know, but my prediction is this.

“In fact, I put this prediction to Helmut Marko in Montreal two weeks ago, I said, well, it’s obvious you’re going to drop Tsunoda, you’re going to put Hadjar in the second Red Bull alongside Max, you’re going to give Lindblad one of the Racing Bull seats, and then you’ve got a decision to make about Liam Lawson.

“And he just smiled at me and walked off.”

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Isack Hadjar is Red Bull’s ‘favoured’ replacement for Yuki Tsunoda during the 2026 F1 season

Tsunoda’s underperformance is clear to see, but also points to a far bigger issue within the team.

Too many decent Formula 1 drivers have arrived at Red Bull and been unable to get anywhere near Verstappen.

The four-time world champion is one of, if not the greatest, driver on the grid right now, but the gap between the two teammates is far bigger than at any other manufacturer.

Isack Hadjar is the favoured candidate to replace Tsunoda if Red Bull part ways with the 25-year-old at the end of the season.

The French rookie has been brilliant since stepping up from Formula 2, and Marko has been very impressed with Hadjar since his arrival on the grid.

A full crop of Red Bull-developed drivers is exactly what Marko wants to see on the grid, but Tsunoda’s participation in that group looks set to come to an end if things don’t improve soon.