Red Bull Update On Driver Plans With Tsunoda Future In Doubt

But Hadjar himself suggested he would rather wait until the start of the 2026 season to make the leap rather than trying to adapt in the final races of the current term, given the change in regulations over the winter that would negate most learnings.

Asked if he saw it the same way during Friday's FIA team principal's press conference at the Italian Grand Prix, Mekies replied: "I think the short answer is yes.

"We made it very clear, very public, that we have time with our driver decision. We have enough drivers between the driver programmes to cover quite a few scenarios for next year, and we don’t have real reasons to rush into decisions.

"We do not plan to change during the season."

Tsunoda backing

While Tsunoda has had his troubles since joining Red Bull, he races in Italy off the back of a first points finish since Imola at Zandvoort.

Without confirming his place for 2026 was safe, Mekies threw his backing behind Tsunoda and explained: "Yuki has been making a good step in the last three races. We all want more, but he’s doing a good job.

"He was, for the first time, back in the points after seven races in Zandvoort. He was close enough to Max in Budapest, and had his best qualifying with the team in Spa. So he’s on a positive trend. It’s obviously extremely nice to watch Isack’s progress in the Racing Bulls car.

"To see him performing at the level he did in the last race was a fantastic demonstration of how much progress he's made this season.

"But really, we are relaxed about the driver topic, because fundamentally we have all our cards on the Red Bull side, and we can take a few more weeks – or months – to decide."

Mekies added that the team will likely make a decision before the final race of the season in order to avoid impacting his drivers' options.

Tsunoda finished Friday's second practice for the Italian Grand Prix in ninth, two places ahead of Hadjar.

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