Who should become Max Verstappen's teammate at Red Bull in 2026?

Meanwhile, Isack Hadjar has said it around ten times: 'I am not ready for Red Bull Racing'. The word he used was 'curious', when he was asked about the seat beside Max Verstappen. It seems like a cry for help, the question is whether it will be heard.

Nico Rosberg advised Hadjar to say 'no' when Red Bull approach him for the seat beside Max Verstappen. That's easier said than done. Red Bull decide themselves where talents drive, so if the management decides to promote Hadjar, then he can hardly say no, the Frenchman realised all too well.

Yet, after Pierre Gasly, Alexander Albon, Sergio Perez, Liam Lawson, and Yuki Tsunoda, it's refreshing to hear that a driver is not eager to make the switch. That a driver critically looks in the mirror and does not believe he is ready for that step. It shows that Hadjar is perhaps the most mature of all Red Bull talents who have been predicted to sit alongside Max.

Yet, it would be wise for Red Bull to allow Hadjar to make mistakes at Racing Bulls for at least two years. The team has the luxury of a junior team, which means it can slowly prepare Hadjar for a debut beside Max Verstappen. Why rush it when that has gone wrong so often?

Yuki Tsunoda has shown too little progress beside Max Verstappen and is statistically the worst teammate Verstappen has had, after Liam Lawson. For Yuki, it can be said that he missed the preparation with the team, but even then, the gap is too large. In hindsight, even Sergio Perez was better, and that was actually not good enough.

Promote Hadjar too early, and you are likely to end up in a similar situation as Red Bull. Lawson, Albon, and Gasly also showed good pace in a short run, but did not get the time to make enough mistakes at the junior team. Those mistakes were made at Red Bull Racing, where the magnifying glass is continuously on and drivers must perform.

For Hadjar, two or three years at Racing Bulls would be much better. Only for superstars like Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen did the method of throwing drivers into the deep end work. Hadjar has not yet proven that he belongs to that category, so patience is in order.

The big question then is who should it be, as Tsunoda seems to be on his way out anyway. Only if the Japanese driver would perform exceptionally would he keep his seat. Otherwise, Tsunoda, like Honda, will have to leave Red Bull Racing at the end of 2025.

Should Tsunoda manage to improve and qualify within three tenths of Max Verstappen, then it would be wise for Red Bull to keep Tsunoda. In that case, they already have a driver who knows the team, knows what to expect from Max Verstappen, and would have demonstrated to perform better under pressure.

If Tsunoda does not perform, then it would be the wisest for Red Bull to bring in an experienced force. The past years have shown how difficult it is to run a team with just one driver. Additionally, experience is needed to help the team in developing the car. Especially with completely new car and engine regulations for 2026. Throwing Hadjar into the deep end does not seem like the best solution.

The only two realistic options for Red Bull Racing are driving at Williams. Carlos Sainz could prove at Ferrari and McLaren that he is suitable as a second driver at the top. He is always close to his teammates in qualifying and sometimes surprises with impressive results in races. Sainz is not a driver who will beat Verstappen, but will come closer.

Yet, something always seems to stand in the way of Sainz's return. Sainz wanted to make the switch to Red Bull Racing already in 2025, but a deal did not materialise. Online, it is often claimed that this is because of Max Verstappen, but GPblog knows that Verstappen's camp has not obstructed that deal. So, there are still doubts about the Spaniard somewhere at the top of Red Bull.

Another option would be the return of Alexander Albon. The Thai has already driven for Red Bull Racing. There, Albon did not perform well enough, but has made a good impression since his return to Williams. Especially in 2025, Albon has another strong quality added to his CV, beating Carlos Sainz by a large margin so far.

Both Sainz and Albon have contracts at Williams and will thus not be easy to acquire. 2026 is also a reset of the pecking order with the completely new regulations. So, it could just as well be that Williams with Mercedes engines ens up ahead of Red Bull, who develop their own engines in collaboration with Ford.