Racing Bulls rookie makes further claim for Red Bull second seat

The drive followed his breakthrough podium at Zandvoort the previous weekend, where he became the youngest Frenchman ever to stand on a Formula 1 rostrum. 

This run of form has lifted him to ninth in the drivers’ standings with 38 points and put him firmly in the spotlight as Red Bull weighs its options for the 2026 season.

By contrast, Yuki Tsunoda endured another frustrating afternoon at Monza. Starting ninth on the grid, the Japanese driver slipped out of the points while Hadjar charged from the back. 

It was a stark comparison that highlighted the rookie’s growing influence within the Racing Bulls garage and raised further questions about Tsunoda’s long-term prospects on the senior team. 

The 25-year-old has collected just four points finishes in 14 Grands Prix since his promotion to the senior team earlier this year, following the demotion of Liam Lawson. That reshuffle came after Sergio Perez’s exit from Red Bull reignited the debate over the second seat alongside Max Verstappen.

However, Team Principal Laurent Mekies has publicly backed Tsunoda to complete the 2025 campaign despite mounting scrutiny. 

“No, we do not plan to change during the season,” he said, via Formula1.com. “Yuki has been making a good step in the last three races, we want more, but he’s doing a good job…he’s on a positive trend.”

“It’s extremely nice to watch Isack’s progress and to see him performing at the level he did in the last race. [It] was a fantastic demonstration of the progress he has been doing during the season but we are relaxed about the driver topic, we have all the cards on the Red Bull side.”

Hadjar’s rapid adaptation as a rookie, his calm racecraft and ability to manage tires while battling established names have convinced many observers that Red Bull may have found another star. 

Comparisons with Max Verstappen’s early rise may be premature, but the parallels are becoming harder to ignore.

For now, Hadjar insists his focus is on maximizing each weekend with Racing Bulls. Yet with Tsunoda struggling for consistency, every point-scoring drive adds weight to the argument that the rookie is making the strongest possible claim for Red Bull’s most scrutinized seat.