Red Bull handed F1 driver blow in battle for crucial seat

Max Verstappen, Isack Hadjar and Yuki Tsunoda talk together ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 News & Gossip

Red Bull handed F1 driver blow in battle for crucial seat

Red Bull could be forced to look for other options

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Tuesday 24 June 2025 09:44

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Red Bull junior driver Isack Hadjar has admitted that it would be 'scary' to be promoted into a Red Bull seat, stating he's 'not ready' in a big blow to the team.

The Frenchman has been in scintillating form in his rookie season, and has already picked up 21 points, more than Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda combined despite having not had a single race with the main Red Bull team.

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His current Racing Bulls team-mate Lawson was promoted up to Red Bull for the 2025 season, but was demoted once more after just two races, before Tsunoda was promoted in his place.

However, Tsunoda has only secured seven points in eight race weekends with the team, while team-mate Max Verstappen has won two races and claimed two second-place finishes in that time.

Hadjar's brilliant performances have led to speculation that he could be in line to replace Tsunoda, despite Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko reiterating that Tsunoda will race for the full 2025 season no matter his form.

Tsunoda is also out of contract at the end of 2025, however, and is looking likely to try and find a move away from the Red Bull family, having spent four seasons in the junior team before 2025.

Now, however, Hadjar has said that he is not ready to be considered for a promotion, and that he wants to complete at least a full season with the sister team.

"It's a bit scary, I wouldn't feel ready," Hadjar told Sky Sports. "I'm just nine races in and it looks to be complicated when I look at Yuki and Liam, who are very quality drivers. I'm not very ready but I would always be up for the call, that's for sure."

Isack Hadjar has had a brilliant rookie season

Asked if he agreed with suggestions that an early promotion would be tough for him, Hadjar said: "It's fair to say that because Liam and Yuki are quality drivers, so it's normal to think that. I'm just curious, that's the only word I can use, of being next to Max. That's the only thing I can say.

"For sure, I don't feel ready, that's a fact. It's good to take experience where I'm at. I'm enjoying so much every weekend, learning a lot. It's a car I enjoy driving. We will see in the future. But obviously as a Red Bull junior driver, the trajectory is normal to go there."

Red Bull's second driver woes

The fact that Verstappen has scored 155 of the team's 162 points so far in 2025 shows quite how reliant Red Bull are on the Dutchman's abilities.

He is still hunting a fifth consecutive drivers' championship title, but Red Bull's second driver woes mean that they are not going to be able to challenge for the constructors' championship, and it's all about trying to build up their driver lineup ready for a crucial 2026.

The RB21 looks like a very difficult car to drive, with both Lawson and Tsunoda struggling to control it consistently. However, Red Bull's inability to find a team-mate for Verstappen has been going on longer than just this season.

Sergio Perez looked good for a while, but then started falling away near the end of the 2023 season, eventually being replaced at the end of 2024, while Alex Albon and Pierre Gasly failed to make an impression before him, too.

A mid-season swap would not only damage the confidence of Tsunoda, but it could also ruin the crest of a wave that Hadjar is currently riding on in his rookie season.

Written by

Sam Cook - Digital Journalist

Sam Cook is a talented young sports journalist and social media professional who now specialises in Formula 1, having previously worked as a football journalist and a local news reporter for a variety of different brands.

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Red Bull Max Verstappen Ferrari Helmut Marko Yuki Tsunoda Liam Lawson