Just before the summer break, Max Verstappen made it official at the Hungarian Grand Prix: he’s staying with Red Bull for 2026, even after holding talks with Mercedes.
This doesn’t lock him in for the long term. Reports suggest Red Bull has agreed to let Verstappen leave in 2027 if things don’t work out.
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For now, new team boss Laurent Mekies will be breathing easier. Facing the prospect of replacing a four-time world champion so soon into his tenure would have been a nightmare scenario.
A move by Verstappen would have sent shockwaves through the driver market, potentially making either George Russell or Kimi Antonelli available. But even by staying put, there are still plenty of knock-on effects to consider.
Yuki Tsunoda’s Red Bull hopes take a hit after Verstappen decision
It’s been a rough season for Yuki Tsunoda, who finds himself setting unwanted marks at Red Bull. Even Verstappen has mentioned how tough the car is to handle, and he only managed a ninth-place finish in Hungary. There’s some understanding within the team, but that doesn’t change the standings.
Tsunoda has dropped to 18th out of 21 drivers in the championship, and naturally, questions about his future are growing louder. If Verstappen had left, Tsunoda might have stayed by default. But things look different now.
Autosport Web reports that his chances have ‘significantly diminished’ since Verstappen decided to stay. Arvid Lindblad looks set to join Red Bull’s F1 roster next year, which only adds more pressure.
With five drivers competing for four seats, it looks like Tsunoda is on the outside looking in. Lindblad is expected to take a spot at Racing Bulls, while Isack Hadjar is tipped as the favourite to partner Verstappen.
Juan Pablo Montoya floats Yuki Tsunoda as potential Franco Colapinto replacement
As the report points out, Alpine and Cadillac are Tsunoda’s only real options if Red Bull let him go at the end of his contract, given that most teams have already locked in their driver lineups.
Tsunoda is on Cadillac’s radar ahead of their F1 entry, but Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez remain the frontrunners for those seats.
Franco Colapinto’s place at Alpine isn’t set in stone. Former F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya believes Tsunoda could catch Flavio Briatore’s eye. Still, with Colapinto signed to a long-term loan from Williams, Alpine might choose to stick with him.
“If Tsunoda were to become free of Red Bull, he would be a very good person too,” Montoya told AS Colombia. “There could be a lot of movement.”
“Suddenly, they could be happy with Franco, and they say, ‘No, let’s keep him one more year’. Remember that theoretically Alpine has him for five years. He’s on loan from Williams.”
If Colapinto does lose his seat, Paul Aron is another name in the mix. The reserve driver may even be ahead of Tsunoda in Alpine’s plans.
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