Mekies cools Red Bull’s 2026 call — Tsunoda’s audition rolls on
Yuki Tsunoda’s Red Bull future won’t be decided this weekend in Mexico, and that’s exactly how Laurent Mekies wants it. The Red Bull camp — across both teams — has eased off the self-imposed timeline for locking in its 2026 line-up, giving Tsunoda a crucial runway as he tries to nail down a seat.
Only Max Verstappen is a sure thing for next year. The other three seats within the Red Bull orbit remain a live contest, with Tsunoda, Liam Lawson, Isack Hadjar and Arvid Lindblad all in the frame. It had been suggested a decision would land after Mexico. Not anymore.
“We want to give Yuki and all our other drivers as much time as we can,” Mekies told Sky Sports. “I know we’ve said in the past we may want to decide after Mexico, but really, there is no need for us to rush anything. We will take our time, and when we feel we are ready, we’ll do it. No need to rush.”
The message is plain: the audition continues.
It’s helpful timing for Tsunoda, who arrives off arguably his sharpest weekend in Red Bull colors at Austin. He came away encouraged by the pace and points across the sprint and the Grand Prix, conceding only that he managed the second stint a touch conservatively. “My pace was really, really good,” he said. “We need to keep doing that.”
Mexico’s Friday added a twist. With Verstappen stepping aside for FP1 running, Lindblad climbed into the car and promptly punched in a lap quicker than Tsunoda’s. Helmut Marko liked what he saw — to a point. “We got some answers,” the Red Bull advisor said. “But I can’t tell you what the driver lineup will be. We will wait a little bit, and then we decide.”
That’s very Red Bull: collect data, keep the pressure on, and let the pecking order reveal itself under heat. Tsunoda knows the drill by now. Consistency has been his battleground, and that’s usually what tips the scales in these internal shootouts. Lawson’s banked mileage and composure continue to impress. Hadjar’s stock has been rising. Lindblad’s pace is raw and unmistakable. None of that will be settled by one lap in FP1, but it does nudge the conversation.
The broader picture matters too. With the 2026 regulations looming and the driver market still sloshing about, there’s little upside to a snap call from Red Bull’s side. Every extra round gives them a clearer sample on who’s delivering under pressure, who’s got headroom, and who translates simulator speed into Sunday points. It also gives Tsunoda time to turn a strong weekend into a streak — the currency that counts most.
In practical terms, pushing the decision gives Mekies and Marko breathing space to calibrate across both squads. If the senior team wants ultimate firepower alongside Verstappen, that ripples down the corridor. If they decide continuity at the sister team is the smarter play while a rookie beds in, that changes the board again. There are several workable combinations in play; none require a call before the flight out of Mexico City.
For Tsunoda, the brief is simple and brutal: do in five races what moves the needle. Qualify cleanly. Bag points. Make the overtakes that stick in a Monday debrief. There’s no debating the speed; it’s the repeatability that will decide whether he’s part of Red Bull’s 2026 plans.
Marko hinted they’ll at least “make some comments” after the weekend. But the headline is already written: no final verdict yet. And for a driver fighting to lock down his place in the Red Bull ecosystem, that pause might prove priceless.
The audition continues — and it’s playing out on live TV.
