Racing Bulls 2026 F1 line-up is now ‘up in the air’ over one driver’s worrying poor form

Follow us on Google Discover

Racing Bulls are the only team who haven’t confirmed either of their drivers for the 2026 Formula 1 season.

The situation within the Red Bull group has always been a complicated one, with Max Verstappen currently the only constant between the two teams.

Verstappen has a Red Bull contract until 2028, but the Dutchman has only confirmed that he’ll be with the team until the end of next season.

The other three seats at Red Bull and Racing Bulls are up for grabs, and a decision is expected very soon.

Helmut Marko confirmed Red Bull would decide Yuki Tsunoda’s fate after the Mexico City Grand Prix, after two seventh-place finishes in Austin.

Tsunoda looks set to be replaced by Isack Hadjar despite his difficult weekend at the United States Grand Prix.

That leaves Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson in the lurch, with both drivers struggling alongside Verstappen this season.

However, journalist Scott Mitchell-Malm believes that Racing Bulls’ decision for next season has been complicated by the shaky form of young driver Arvid Lindblad in Formula 2.

READ MORE: All to know about Racing Bulls from team principal to Red Bull affiliation

Arvid Lindblad’s ‘rocky patch’ in Formula 2 is confusing Racing Bulls’ 2026 driver plans

Mitchell-Malm was speaking about the decisions that need to be made at Red Bull ahead of the 2026 season on The Race F1 Podcast, and he said: “Laurent Mekies has said after the race today, he didn’t mean it in as harsh a way as this will sound. But he says this isn’t good enough from Tsunoda.

“And Yuki doesn’t think that it’s good enough. So it’s about whether or not Red Bull is convinced at all by the fragments that it’s seeing, if combined, are at a level required to be the Red Bull second driver.

“And then, more importantly, is he capable of actually combining it and having those more complete weekends?

“As far as I understand the claim from Marko, that Mexico time is when they’ll basically draw a line under it and make their call. I think that’s still in play.

“But I’d be stunned if Red Bull haven’t seen everything they need to see from Yuki. I suspect what they’re umming and ahhing over now is what they do about the second team, because the previous plan of Hadjar up to Red Bull and then Liam Lawson being partnered with Arvid Lindblad might be slightly up in the air because Lindblad’s F2 season has hit a bit of a rocky patch.

“So I don’t know what they’re going to do there. Maybe Tsunoda’s going to get a reprieve in the second team again, but I can’t see how he stays in Red Bull Racing.”

READ MORE: All you need to know about Red Bull junior Arvid Lindblad including his parents

Arvid Lindblad set for FP1 outing for Red Bull at the Mexico City Grand Prix

The Mexico City Grand Prix represents the perfect opportunity for Lindblad to prove he has what it takes to be ready for Formula 1 next season.

Lindblad will jump into Verstappen’s car for FP1 at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez due to a rule where each driver is obliged to give up their car for two practice sessions in a season to a rookie driver.

The teenager replaced Verstappen at the British Grand Prix as well, with Lindblad impressing Red Bull with his pace during the session.

Lindblad currently sits seventh in the drivers’ championship in Formula 2, and is out of contention to win the title with two rounds remaining.

It means Red Bull could keep him at that level for one more year to give him more time to prepare, although Lindblad is undergoing intense preparations behind the scenes to get ready for the step up to F1.

Tsunoda and Lawson will both be hoping that Red Bull decide he’s not ready for Formula 1; otherwise, they’re about to potentially take part in a head-to-head shootout to be his teammate next season.