Yuki Tsunoda revival forces Helmut Marko to rethink 2026 driver plan

Yuki Tsunoda’s best weekend in months has put his Red Bull future back in play, with Helmut Marko now signalling that the team may delay a final decision on who partners Max Verstappen in 2026.

Marko had previously hinted that the verdict would come after next weekend’s Mexican GP, but following Tsunoda’s strong showing in Austin, and a muted outing for Isack Hadjar, the Red Bull advisor sounded far less certain.

“That’s not our priority at the moment,” Marko told Sky Deutschland when asked about the timing of the call. “Generally, that’s what we’re planning. Let’s see to what extent we can decide then.”

The 82-year-old was later seen smiling and chatting with Tsunoda in the Red Bull hospitality area as the team celebrated Verstappen’s win and renewed title momentum, a notable change in tone after weeks of speculation that Tsunoda was on the way out.

“He had a very good start and was competitive when he had a clear run,” Marko said. “There’s an upward trend there. He’s stabilising, and that’s very important in the fight for the World Championship.”

Starting 13th, Tsunoda charged to seventh in Sunday’s United States GP and also scored points in the sprint, taking eight from the weekend, his strongest haul since early summer.

“My pace was really, really good,” the Japanese driver said. “I was able to make up a few positions in the first few laps, and my overall pace wasn’t bad. Maybe I managed the second stint a little too much, but it was positive to get points in both races. We need to keep doing that.”

Asked if the results were vital for his 2026 prospects, Tsunoda agreed. “Yes, definitely. That’s what I have to do. It’s also important to help move us up in the constructors’ championship,” he said. “The team hasn’t given up and we haven’t given up on Max’s title either. We just need to start from further forward and fight with the top teams.”

While Tsunoda impressed, his main rival for the second Red Bull seat endured another difficult weekend. Hadjar, widely regarded as the favourite to replace him, finished only 16th and admitted frustration after struggling for pace.

“Starting 20th, there are no miracles,” Hadjar told Canal Plus. “We’ve had some complicated weekends already, and this was another one. Hopefully by Mexico we’ll have understood some things.”

Hadjar, who recently said it would “hurt” to miss out on the promotion, had even suggested Red Bull consider an early switch before the end of the year, a prospect that now seems less likely after Tsunoda’s Austin resurgence.