P1racenews AI automatic summary:
“That’s where with regards to the second seat, where the priority is. It’s what the team is concentrated on.”
The new Red Bull F1 team principal, Laurent Mekies, is focusing on helping Yuki Tsunoda improve his performance rather than on the team’s driver line-up for 2026. Tsunoda was promoted to Red Bull after just two races, but has struggled for form, scoring points only three times and finishing ninth at the Bahrain Grand Prix. Max Verstappen has been leading the team’s points this year, with 185 out of 192. Mekies, who replaced Christian Horner as team boss, emphasized the priority of supporting Tsunoda to enhance his performance and mentioned avoiding speculation about the team’s driver line-up for next year. While Tsunoda needs to elevate his performance in the remaining races of the season, Red Bull may consider Isack Hadjar for their 2026 line-up. Verstappen’s commitment to Red Bull for 2026 signals continuity and stability within the team, with Mekies emphasizing that there was never any real doubt about Verstappen’s intentions.
