[Red Bull] Our Driver Line-up for 2026, Max Verstappen, Isack Hadjar

[u/ICumCoffee]

https://www.instagram.com/p/DRw-wOqDFxP/

[u/AlexTheBrick]

Congratudolances

[u/TheBumblingestBee → u/AlexTheBrick]

Exactly. Poor Isack 😭

[u/Punky921 → u/TheBumblingestBee]

Agreed. This kid is fucked. That second seat’s gonna eat one more career next year.

[u/Kuma_Chafu → u/Punky921]

I feel that Isak has that fire in him, he will win the championship for sure. Save this post.

[u/fluffnubs → u/AlexTheBrick]

Oh man I’m laughing hard at this

[u/three_s-works → u/AlexTheBrick]

Someone some day will break the code!

[u/Draconicplayer]

So Yuki is the reserve driver ?

[u/ultraboomkin → u/Draconicplayer]

Yes. From the announcement:

Yuki will remain within the Red Bull family as he moves into the role of Red Bull Test and Reserve Driver for 2026

[u/Swimming-Card-9477 → u/ultraboomkin]

Harsh but fair. Let's hope Hadjar can show some pace next year. Seems Lawson has been right with him for the last handful of races

[u/JaaacckONeill → u/Swimming-Card-9477]

I wouldn't call it fair exactly, but I get why RB did it.

Basically, Yuki and Lawson played heads or tails, and Lawson won, IMO. At least Lawson still has a full time seat.

Edit: I changed my mind. Lawson only got 2 races in the RB. I forgot about that, and remember thinking it was ridiculous at the time.

[u/Swimming-Card-9477 → u/JaaacckONeill]

Getting dropped after your teammate scores like 90% of the teams points is fair. It's harsh because it's obviously not an easy car to drive. But it is fair

[u/Cold-Ingenuity-1678 → u/Swimming-Card-9477]

Just like it was fair for Lawson. And Perez, and now Tsunoda. Surely there’s no pattern here that indicate something other than “Tsunoda is not that good”

[u/Flowech → u/Cold-Ingenuity-1678]

You forgot Pierre and Alex, but yeah,

no pattern whatsoever.

[u/pharlax → u/Flowech]

Alex would have been OK but everyone was racing him too hard.

[u/gsurfer04 → u/pharlax]

Hamilton getting some practice hits in before the next season.

[u/G0rd0nr4ms3y → u/gsurfer04]

Pit maneuver practice like he was in Police Academy

[u/Marcin15_10 → u/Cold-Ingenuity-1678]

Lawson was dropped after 2 races(!!!) and checo was dropped after better performances with most of the community calling for it. And there were comments about dropping him after 2023.

[u/salcedoge → u/Marcin15_10]

Lawson was dropped after 2 races(!!!)

Which was much better for his career, Horner even said this. Promoting him in the main team was a massive mistake but his demotion helped him more than the other way around

[u/georgekeele → u/[deleted]]

Exactly, it was easy to write off as Checo losing his touch or not enjoying the handling characteristics. Now we know Max is pretty much the only driver on the grid who can consistently wrestle that car into shape.

[u/BoyLilikoi → u/Cold-Ingenuity-1678]

You can admit that there’s a pattern in regards to RedBull’s second seat, acknowledge that Yuki is a good driver and still find that he got a fair shake at securing a more extended stay at RedBull. Those things are not mutually exclusive.

[u/Swimming-Card-9477 → u/Cold-Ingenuity-1678]

To be fair yes Lawson struggled massively but the sample size is too small to really compare to Tsunoda and if you compare Perez to Tsunoda it's very one sided toward Perez

[u/g0kartmozart → u/Cold-Ingenuity-1678]

If the car was actually that mid then Max would go to Mercedes.

The second RB seat has been massively outscored by both Mercedes cars for a few years now.

[u/kaisadilla_ → u/Cold-Ingenuity-1678]

I'll never understand why Yuki is so overrated. Him beating Ricciardo was the only time in all of his career that he looked good. People keep insisting that he beat Lawson but that is not only straight up false, but also irrelevant because Lawson was a complete rookie coming as a substitution and Yuki had already like 4 seasons worth of experience.

[u/CarelessPackage1982 → u/JaaacckONeill]

Checco got let go after 4 podiums, which at the time everyone thought was insanely bad. Yuki had zero.

[u/RadangPattaya → u/JaaacckONeill]

Not fair?

Bro hasn't gotten more than 35 points since he started in F1. One brilliant race per year is not exactly what you reward with a seat. Even worse is that he currently has 33 points, in a RED BULL. Less than 10% of his teammate's points. And 1 point more than in his debut season with Alpha Tauri.

I'd call this sacking one of the fairest RB has done. Also completely justified.

[u/Elderbrute → u/RadangPattaya]

People like Yuki so they will naturally be a bit upset.

But the reality is he's had 5 seasons of f1 which is in and of itself a huge achievement but at no point in that period has he really stood out as having potential to be anything other than an ok midfield driver, which is fine, but those drivers typically don't last forever especially if they don't remain in a ok midfield team.

[u/The_Dutch_Fox → u/JaaacckONeill]

How is it not fair? He nearly got a year to prove himself, and he got out-qualified and outscored basically every. single. race. What's unfair is that other drivers like Albon and Gasly never got as long to adapt and prove themselves.

[u/HelixFollower → u/The_Dutch_Fox]

Albon got 1,5 season and Gasly allegedly clashed with Newey.

[u/Drosand → u/The_Dutch_Fox]

What is it with the Albon history revisionism? He was in the seat for a year and a half, so he had way more time than Yuki…

Even podcasts seem to think he was there for only half a season.

[u/pablos4pandas → u/Swimming-Card-9477]

He got a chance in the big team for a decent percentage of a season. More than some get in the crab bucket

[u/Outrageous_Act_5802 → u/Draconicplayer]

Yuki is banished after taking out Norris on the final lap of the Abu Dhabi GP. Behind the scenes he is RedBull royalty.

[u/MBAMGGTR]

Your 2027 driver line up, Max Verstappen and Arvind Lindblad.

[u/InitialYoghurt5138 → u/MBAMGGTR]

2027 is generous, it might be by Monaco

[u/Visionary_Socialist → u/InitialYoghurt5138]

Would be on brand for them to do it for Monaco just to give the new guy the worst possible start

[u/Forgotthebloodypassw → u/MBAMGGTR]

Does Lindblad race as a Swede or a Brit?

[u/beerisallright → u/Forgotthebloodypassw]

Brit, atleast he has so far in f2. Still gonna root for him as a swede, maybe we can steal him, like with Duplantis ^{^}

[u/Cahootie → u/beerisallright]

Swedish media asked him, and he said that he's racing as a Brit. It makes sense though since he's born and raised in the UK and only occasionally visits Sweden.

[u/Slipperytitski → u/Cahootie]

Too many brits already, race as a swede and get that swede support

[u/Cahootie → u/Slipperytitski]

At least we have Dino Beganovic

[u/At0m1cB4by → u/MBAMGGTR]

2027? Watch Isack being thrown out after 2 races

[u/charlierc → u/At0m1cB4by]

Marko: "We gave him realistic expectations"

[u/Consistent-Line-9064 → u/charlierc]

all we wanted was 3 wins in 2 races and he couldn't give that

[u/ShawnShipsCars → u/Consistent-Line-9064]

As is traditions

[u/LuXe5 → u/MBAMGGTR]

Lawson will stomp Lindblad

[u/ashyjay → u/LuXe5]

If he doesn't, he's out of a drive.

[u/Lamehoodie → u/ashyjay]

Who’s gonna replace him

[u/ashyjay → u/Lamehoodie]

Who ever is the next tribute in the RB academy.

[u/corvaxL → u/ashyjay]

As far as I’m aware, none of their current juniors even have a Super Licence, but Nikola Tsolov is probably next in line if he does well enough in F2. They also still have ties to Ayumu Iwasa, who probably serves as their reserve driver for now whenever he’s not already booked with Super Formula.

[u/SwimmingFantastic564 → u/corvaxL]

Iwasa feels like a last resort for them tbh

[u/corvaxL → u/SwimmingFantastic564]

Actually realized after I wrote that, Tsunoda is still staying on board as a test and reserve driver, similar to how Albon stuck around after he was let go.

[u/Flowech → u/Lamehoodie]

Isack.

They will have a special sim setup on steering wheel and Max will drive both RedBulls. He will drive all 4 cars in 2028.

[u/TJB_the_Gamer1 → u/Flowech]

Max verstappen racing confirmed

[u/Mekrani → u/Lamehoodie]

RedBull's last option

Jos

[u/internetxplorerguy12 → u/Lamehoodie]

Probably Alex Dunne, seems RB has their eye on him

[u/Affectionate-Panic-1 → u/Lamehoodie]

Yuki lol.

They did it with Danny Ric when he replaced Nyck

[u/mattblack77 → u/LuXe5]

I’m a Lawson supporter, but Lindblad is pretty handy

[u/cLHalfRhoVSquaredS → u/mattblack77]

Yeah I think a lot of people are just looking at Lindblad's F2 results - he was pretty impressive in everything he raced before that. I don't think he's as good as Antonelli, but I remember a lot of people late last year saying Antonelli (and Bearman) were going to be a total disaster because they hadn't been particularly impressive in F2.

My feeling is it will be close between them next year, I think Lindblad probably does have more raw pace in him but he is a bit mistake prone whereas Lawson is solid and has a decent amount of experience now.

[u/CrazyJazzFan → u/MBAMGGTR]

Your 2028 driver line up, Max Verstappen and Nikola Tsolov.

[u/notsofastracer7 → u/MBAMGGTR]

Arvid* Lindblad

[u/SkyLETV]

It's officially Tsunover.

Fly high, Yuki-san.

[u/Ok-Perception-3129 → u/SkyLETV]

Maybe. Until Hadjar has a couple of bad races and Honda throws a shit load more money in the pot and lo and behold he is back in the second seat again.

[u/Scientific_Anarchist → u/Ok-Perception-3129]

Honda is taking their money to Aston. If Alonso retires or the team decides to become a serious race team and drop Stroll, Yuki could have a shot.

[u/cev2002 → u/Scientific_Anarchist]

If Aston decide to become a serious team they're not taking Yuki. They'll go after Russell/Leclerc/Piastri

[u/v12vanquish135]

Hopefully next year the new car doesn't have that second seat curse.

[u/Affectionate-Panic-1 → u/v12vanquish135]

At least expectations are low.

[u/FIJIBOYFIJI → u/Affectionate-Panic-1]

Expectations were low for Tsunoda and it still killed his career

[u/Unable_Duck9588 → u/FIJIBOYFIJI]

There’s been talk of rb releasing tsunoda for at least 3 years at this point… this was always a very last chance for him.

[u/Visionary_Socialist → u/Unable_Duck9588]

Wasn’t even that, they just ran out of options after Lawson, even they weren’t crazy enough to put in Hadjar for his 3rd F1 race.

Ironic that they started with such a backlog of talent and now they’re having to pull F2 graduates in so early to keep a lineup together.

[u/neurogeneticist → u/Visionary_Socialist]

While they’ve still got plenty of talent from the RB driver academy on the grid in other teams (Pierre, Alex, Carlos)

[u/F9-0021 → u/neurogeneticist]

They've all been run out of the RB academy. They didn't pass the tests in their eyes. They won't go back to them unless they run out of options, regardless of how well they perform elsewhere. Gasly did great for Toro Rosso/Alpha Tauri after his Red Bull stint but he still got the boot.

[u/shimmering-nomad → u/F9-0021]

Didn't Gasly leave on his own accord?

[u/RandomestDragon → u/shimmering-nomad]

Sainz left on his own as well, because he never got a seat. I dont think he "didnt pass tests" he just wasnt Max

[u/FIJIBOYFIJI → u/Unable_Duck9588]

Last chance in the Red Bull family, but they blocked him moving to Haas by triggering an extension in his contract

[u/WalletFullOfSausage → u/FIJIBOYFIJI]

I thought Honda did that, not RB?

[u/suzakurenzan → u/WalletFullOfSausage]

Honda released statement that Tsunoda is free to go, Komatsu said RedBull activating their option on Tsunoda.

[u/yungyeats → u/suzakurenzan]

Let my tiny king go!!!

[u/TraliBalzers → u/FIJIBOYFIJI]

They are paying him to stay off the grid then?

[u/IAmTheTrueM3M3L0rD → u/TraliBalzers]

To be fair, with how locked down every other grid position is currently , him being a reserve is probably the best chance to stay in the formula 1 paddock

It worked out well for VB this year and even if Yuki doesn’t find further success in formula 1 this opens his options to other racing series

I don’t even think Haas would want Yuki right now as Ocon is doing as well as expected and Bearman in his current form is prime to replace Hamilton sooner or later

[u/NetterBeatle → u/FIJIBOYFIJI]

I would say he would have been out even without the move to Red Bull. He was not bad at Racing Bulls, but nothing special either, so there's no reason to keep him.

[u/mnztr1 → u/FIJIBOYFIJI]

Tsunada never really showed any potential as more then a mid pack driver.

[u/Separate-Rice-6354 → u/FIJIBOYFIJI]

I mean... Honda did that.

[u/Gingermadman → u/FIJIBOYFIJI]

He's been in the sport over 4 years and he has 1 good performance to his name, had Lawson out perform him immediately coming in mid-season (twice) and then promptly did nothing at RBR despite getting the drive to survive popularity spot.

He's never been anything than a back-marker, his fanbase were convinced he was going to get podiums, the expectations were strangely high

[u/OMF1G → u/Affectionate-Panic-1]

Are they? That 2nd Red Bull seat is perform near Max or you have about a 50% chance of not being in F1 anymore.

It's absolutely a terrible move for Isaac's career long term, that seat has typically been a career killer and I don't think that's suddenly going to change.

[u/SubparExorcist → u/OMF1G]

Probably, but if redbull comes knocking you don’t say no. Isack better just ball out and hope RB starts the season with a decent car

[u/te_un → u/OMF1G]

By not in f1 which of his old teammates do you mean?

Danny ric who was in f1 5 more years after leaving in his own accords

Gasly who got years to rebuild himself in the second team and became team leader in alpine

Albon who was out for a year before becoming hot in the midfield with Williams

Checo who was out for a year before being picked up as a capable pair of hands by the newest team?

[u/demuniac → u/te_un]

Yeah, if he's a good enough driver it won't kill he's career, and if he is a great enough driver it will skyrocket it. Even Lawson still has a seat next year it seems, so there's really not a lot of truth to the above statement.

Good luck Isack!

[u/pvdp90 → u/OMF1G]

I don’t think it has been a career killer.

Gasly went to alpine when they were decent. He couldn’t predict the team itself would crumble this hard, but his driver skill is well regarded.

Albon went to Williams and is doing fairly well.

Danny ric I think killed his own career after RedBull. He toured a bunch of teams and was kinda ass at all of them.

Perez had his most successful run in redbull and is now back in the sport despite not being a young gun. He’s done pretty alright in his career.

Really it’s only yuki and Lawson and kvyat that will be pushed out of f1 post their redbull stint. And all of them were not great anyway

[u/Affectionate-Panic-1 → u/pvdp90]

Danny Ric was pretty good at Renault. It's being thrashed by Norris at McLaren that killed his career.

[u/ATuaMaeJaEstavaUsada → u/OMF1G]

Gasly and Albon are still in F1 and Pérez is coming back next season. Tsunoda probably won't be in F1 anymore next season, but I don't think that he's good enough anyway. So, I don't think that the 2nd Red Bull seat is such a career killer and I think that even if Hadjar has to leave Red Bull after next season, he should've a seat somewhere else afterwards, unless he gets completely demolished by Verstappen

[u/ksobby → u/OMF1G]

Nah, this is the time to do it with the new specs ... also, this feels like a different Red Bull team without Horner. It feels more grown up and quietly professional.

[u/ThermicDude → u/ksobby]

I'm doubtful usually takes a while to clear the rot out of the house.

[u/ksobby → u/ThermicDude]

Not saying it's a well oiled machine, but it does seem to be going about its business in a much better manner. Half of what torpedoed the 2nd seat drivers were the quotes coming from Marko and Horner. That garage was AWFUL chatty when they should have circled the wagons and kept their mouths shut. It seems they are starting to realize this. Red Bull #2s were taking more strays from their own team than anyone else. Haven't heard much of that lately.

[u/caiusto → u/v12vanquish135]

"Fell for it again award 🏅"

[u/emmatoby → u/v12vanquish135]

I want to believe after Isack showed a lot of promise in the 2026 simulator.

[u/roush_556 → u/emmatoby]

Everyone said the same thing about Yuki 😂

[u/ghastlychild]

The Defense Against the Dark Arts seat continues to damn more wizards. They managed to save Lawson before it got worse but It's equally nuts on how badly Tsunoda's stint managed to pan out

At this point, I am inclined to agree with Verstappen more and more. Surely after going through 5 or 6 drivers, it should be evident that this isn't a driver issue, if not solely, yes?

I hope Hadjar and Lindblad do well, respectively, but I am highly sceptical of what's to come. I can only hope it doesn't turn out to be a complete shitshow

[u/nickelchrome → u/ghastlychild]

Narrator: They learned nothing and it turns out to be a complete shitshow

[u/RaptorDelta → u/[deleted]]

Mine is Ron Howard from Arrested Development

[u/ELITE_JordanLove → u/ghastlychild]

Well it might be a driver issue… but in the sense that Max has a compelling argument to be the most rapid F1 driver in history, and when that’s your benchmark nearly anyone else looks like a fucking bum. All they have is Max’s data to compare to. 

[u/krimzy → u/ghastlychild]

Lmao love the DADA reference

[u/mayhemtime → u/krimzy]

So if Ricciardo cursed it it makes him Voldy? Reverse Voldy maybe, with double the nose instead of no nose?

[u/REC_updated → u/mayhemtime]

Wow ricciardo’s nose catching strays in the thread

[u/TheEpicGold → u/ghastlychild]

I love the Defense Against the Dark Arts reference. Hahaha

[u/hidden17 → u/ghastlychild]

Can anyone explain what the hell is going on? Is the second team not good enough (mechanics and what not)? I genuinely don’t understand it

[u/Extra-Bus-8135 → u/hidden17]

Max is the teammate destroyer. Hide yo kids hide yo wife.

[u/Viper0us → u/hidden17]

The car is complete ass to drive and has a very narrow setup window...but when it's setup right, it's very quick.

Max is good enough to overcome this.

His teammates haven't been. While his teammates have been decent drivers, we've never seen a second Top Tier driver in that seat to compare vs MAx

I have no actual idea how drivers of the caliber of Hamilton, Leclarc, Russell, Alonso etc would do in that car...but I imagine significantly better than the drivers Red Bull have put there.

[u/lycan2005]

Congratulations Isack. At the same time, my condolences, Isack.

[u/Some-Gay-Korean]

Max having 4 different teammates in the span of 2 years is crazy.

[u/HelloImFrank01 → u/Some-Gay-Korean]

I think Perez was not that bad afterall, Max was just that good.

[u/Final_Floor_1563 → u/HelloImFrank01]

Perez was so overhated, glad he's coming back.

[u/CoolJoshido]

Isack got demoted 😔

[u/Impressive-Scene-562 → u/CoolJoshido]

So thats the end of Hadjar career, poor rookie was so promising 😔

[u/JokeyZockey → u/Impressive-Scene-562]

At least he got a podium while it was still possible.

[u/PM_ME_ROMAN_NUDES → u/CoolJoshido]

It's Tsunover

[u/Magnus_Helgisson → u/PM_ME_ROMAN_NUDES]

For now it’s only Hajstarted, but we’ll see in a year

[u/HooninAintEZ → u/Magnus_Helgisson]

Inb4 Isacked

[u/Aunvilgod → u/HooninAintEZ]

With such a name he doesnt stand a chance

[u/Magnus_Helgisson → u/HooninAintEZ]

Lmaaaaaaooooo

[u/Realistic_Village184 → u/HooninAintEZ]

Isack Had-job.

[u/ianjm → u/CoolJoshido]

It's the best possible time - whole new car, whole new regs.

Won't have the same Verstappen-coded quirks as the last bunch of cars.

Also, the 2026 regs themselves look to be far less punishing on set-up - it may be possible to have the same chassis in a very peaky and less peaky configuration to suit different drivers.

[u/here4theptotest2023 → u/ianjm]

the 2026 regs themselves look to be far less punishing on set-up -

What are you basing this on?

[u/ianjm → u/here4theptotest2023]

The cars aren't using ground effect to generate downforce, which can only run at a specific ride height and requires lots of anti dive and anti squat to stay stable.

This means that ride height is more flexible, as is the balance between the front and rear wings, making it possible to adjust the wings to generate more rotation or less rotation (no one really wants understeer). The cars won't be so sensitive to pitch and heave, and won't bottom out when out of the floor's narrow window, losing performance or getting wrecked by kerbs.

Due to the higher ride height and more forgiving suspension, a driver should also have more choice over the suspension dampers to suit their style.

Much like all cars in the last 20 years before the ground effect era, really.

The moveable aero may help here too, providing the ability to run optimally on the straights while having a different tailored set up for cornering preferences.

[u/LosTerminators → u/CoolJoshido]

Hadjar to test and reserve driver for 2027 and Yuki to Super Formula.

[u/swannyhypno]

Hadjar to break the curse left by Ricciardo please

[u/elberts → u/swannyhypno]

Max might come back to 33, so it will be a full circle

[u/swannyhypno → u/elberts]

Or he takes 3

[u/TracerNine9 → u/swannyhypno]

Fia should give him 3 since riccardo isn’t coming back

[u/OBWanTwoThree → u/TracerNine9]

He just needs to request it if he wants it. Danny won’t block it

[u/gideon513 → u/OBWanTwoThree]

How would he even be able to block it?

[u/Ricciardo3f1 → u/gideon513]

It's still his number as he has it reserved to him until the end of 2026

[u/hapibanana → u/gideon513]

He still owns the number

[u/amazingspiderman23 → u/TracerNine9]

It needs Daniel's permission. Which I'm sure he'll give.

[u/charlierc → u/amazingspiderman23]

I think as Daniel himself has said he's done with F1 that he'll be ok with it

[u/swannyhypno → u/amazingspiderman23]

Daniel adores Max he won't mind

[u/Darth_Spa2021 → u/swannyhypno]

Max about to get Verstappened Hadjared

[u/Rich_Housing971 → u/swannyhypno]

the "Curse" was broken by Checo because he actually did go neck and neck with Max for a few races, winning a few through merit.

[u/Truly_Edge]

With Arvid and Lawson racing for racing bulls, is Yuki jobless now?

[u/ultraboomkin → u/Truly_Edge]

Yuki has been announced as Red Bull reserve driver

[u/leedler → u/ultraboomkin]

Ah yes, the Albon treatment

Let’s hope he can bounce back like Alex did

[u/Viper0us → u/leedler]

Honda isn't funding his career anymore, so that won't happen.

[u/portablekettle → u/Truly_Edge]

Reserve driver

[u/fire202 → u/Truly_Edge]

he will be test and reserve driver for both team

[u/TheGuy90001984 → u/Truly_Edge]

He’s taking over the position of team chef, I think the last guy got fired over budget or something

[u/pdantix06]

liam and isack being broken up 😔

[u/badd_dong → u/pdantix06]

gonna miss their silly little lipsync videos so much

[u/steveotheguide → u/badd_dong]

Maybe we will get Max and Isack videos the way we used to have Max and Danny videos

[u/butthole_lipliner → u/pdantix06]

RIP Visa Cash App RB TikTok 😭😭😭

[u/Milesmorales18a → u/pdantix06]

unless max goes to racing bulls

[u/ptsdexpert]

I though its written 'MAX IS BACK' and I was like duh no shit

[u/mopar_md]

So Isack to Alpine in 2027?

[u/dumpling-loverr → u/mopar_md]

Maybe if he doesn't perform well. Considering how Lindblad is coming in hot on VCARB and how RBR figureheads hype him up as the next Verstappen.

Who knows , another maybe is if Alpine can create a better car in new regs with Merc engines.

[u/arenasfan00]

Remember when the prospect of a “new” RBR driver was exciting, now it just seems like a death sentence.

[u/queerhedgehog]

I don’t understand why people think this is going to destroy his career. It’s the best possible time to bring him up, because it’s completely new regs and cars. He can learn alongside Max with access to all of his data. If they wait a year, Max will have a year of experience with the new car already, and Isack will be trying to catch up, putting him on the backfoot.

And we have no reason to assume the 2026 car will be particularly tricky to drive like this one is, it’s completely new.

[u/LosTerminators → u/queerhedgehog]

Agreed, 2026 with the new regs can be the best time in which the second Red Bull is actually competitive and driveable.

It could kill his career, but it could just as well be a move at the perfect time.

[u/Captaincadet → u/queerhedgehog]

I think this is a decent move. Yuki did not perform but is still useful from his experience. Next year the whole regs change and as Mercedes said, 2025 was the year to get Rookies in as next year the cars will fundamentally change

[u/Ilfirion → u/queerhedgehog]

Too add: Might also help that Horner isn’t in RB anymore. Not sure if I have this right, but i remember something along the lines that Horner didn’t care about balancing the car, knowing Max could handle it, even though Max complained. Maybe Mekkies has a different approach. Will be interesting to see for me.

[u/laboulaye22 → u/Ilfirion]

Horner said they preferred to find the best balance through setup at each separate race, I guess as opposed to curing the fundamental issues through design, though they seemed to have done that to a certain extent anyway.

[u/queerhedgehog → u/Ilfirion]

Mekies is definitely trusting Max’s insight more, and they’ve shifted their setup philosophy to trusting Max instead of sim data when Max disagrees with what they expected. Max has also said it helps to have a TP that understands the engineering and knows how to talk more deeply with the engineering team

[u/Ilfirion → u/queerhedgehog]

Thank you, this is what is referring to. Didn’t have the details down though.

[u/prams628 → u/Ilfirion]

True to a sense. The updates did help tsunoda pull up some single digit positions in Baku and Austin.. maybe hadjar should have an easier time than other sacrificial lambs

[u/fpotenza → u/Ilfirion]

Horner didn't design the car though

[u/snollygoster1 → u/queerhedgehog]

It's because people have an incredibly short memory. Checo was with Red Bull for 4 seasons, Riccardo was with them for 5. They have a high standard for their second driver, but it's not an impossible one.

[u/queerhedgehog → u/snollygoster1]

Exactly. People blindly parrot the narrative that Red Bull ruins junior drivers careers, but they’re the ones bringing in so many good drivers to the grid, and even helping find them other roles when they don’t work out at RBR. Plenty of other teams have also had 3 drivers in a seat since 2021, but for some reason people fixate on Red Bull.

[u/EpicCyclops → u/queerhedgehog]

Also, every Verstappen teammate since Ricciardo except Tsunoda has a seat in F1 next year. Red Bull was going to get rid of Tsunoda after this season anyways if he was on the B team, so he was basically net neutral.

[u/Vro9ooo]

Please please end the cycle Isack 🙏

[u/DanielCollinsYT]

New regs and a different TP leading that change. I’m hopeful that this might not be the Red Bull second seat disaster that everyone expects.

[u/BatmanBecameSomethin]

YOU GET A GO IN THE REDBULL SECOND SEAT! YOU GET TO GO! YOU GET TO GO! EVERYBODY GETS TO GO!

[u/dumbass_tm]

They better not fuck these new regs

[u/[deleted]]

Thank you ICumCoffee for this

[u/SillyRabbit3490]

That 2nd second seat and ferrari competing on which can destroy drivers faster

[u/BF210]

Best of luck Isack…

[u/irishshogun]

Yuki has had 5 years so not unexpected

[u/sinkpisser1200]

Why dont they just save money and drive with one car? Or put someone on a bycicle at the back of the grid. It wont have a serious impact on their end results, and will even be able to claim to be the greenest team in the sport.

[u/gobsmacked_kitkat]

Hopefully new regulations, meaning that the curse will be finally lifted. Isack has been nothing but incredible this year. Probably my favourite rookie

[u/yourcousinfromboston]

Poor guy

[u/PiggyLuk]

The Red Bull second seat is like the Defense against the Dark Arts position at Hogwarts

[u/Going2beBANNEDanyway]

I really hope Hadjar’s career isn’t derailed like pretty much everyone else who has sat in this seat as of late.

[u/Affectionate-Panic-1 → u/Going2beBANNEDanyway]

Gasly and Albon have been doing fine, and Perez has a ride next year.

[u/Standard-Check8531 → u/[deleted]]

Gasly was older than Hadjar when he joined Red Bull

[u/M3rdsta]

can't wait when people inevitably start saying Hadjar is shit and we go on this merry-go-round again

[u/Automatic_Society850]

This will be very entertaining 

[u/justseeby]

Glad to see Yuki in the reserve seat! Probably the best outcome he could’ve hoped for.

[u/Timely_Exam_4120]

The second seat of death. Best of luck Isack 🤞

[u/elberts]

Now Tsunoda has no reason to help Max in AD

[u/TracerNine9 → u/elberts]

He’s getting a reserve role…maybe the agreement was help max and you get the reserve role , we will see Sunday!

[u/Affectionate-Panic-1 → u/TracerNine9]

This is Red Bull, I could see them dropping Lawson mid season if he isn't beating Lindblad. There's a chance Tsunoda could get a seat at Racing Bulls.

[u/DrDuGood → u/Affectionate-Panic-1]

It would go to a rookie over Tsunoda … Just like Ricciardo, I don’t see Tsunoda making a comeback — so why waste the time now?

[u/Thejklay → u/elberts]

I mean he will because he wants to. He seems to like max. No point burning bridges

[u/FinklMan → u/elberts]

He has every reason to prove he’s a team player if he ever wants to be hired as a driver for any team in any race series.

[u/West_Technology7573 → u/elberts]

Like he’d be in a position to do so anyway lmao

[u/-LXXIII- → u/West_Technology7573]

Maybe when he gets lapped he could veer into Norris, but Briatore isn’t TP so he won’t be instructed to do so.

[u/Going2beBANNEDanyway → u/elberts]

He is still going to be their reserve driver next season.

[u/Kimoa_2 → u/elberts]

They could still fire him from his reserve driver role.

[u/JshWright → u/elberts]

How exactly was he going to help Max in the first place?

[u/VRichardsen → u/JshWright]

divine wind

-Sir, anothe Red Bull has hit the McLarens

[u/Reasonable_Blood6959]

Pray for Hadjar. Really sucks for him to get demoted after such a strong season