P1racenews AI automatic summary:
A deadline for a decision on the second Red Bull F1 seat for 2026 has been set by Helmut Marko ahead of this weekend’s Mexican Grand Prix.
Red Bull’s Helmut Marko has planned to decide on the second F1 seat for 2026 before the Mexican Grand Prix. Yuki Tsunoda’s recent improvement might keep him in contention, although Isack Hadjar is currently the frontrunner due to his strong rookie season. Red Bull will announce their decision after the Mexican GP, with both Tsunoda and Hadjar potentially set to be out of contract by the end of the year. Despite Tsunoda’s progress, his lack of points compared to Verstappen raises questions about Red Bull’s championship ambitions for 2026. Liam Lawson could be an outside candidate, but Red Bull had previously dismissed the idea. The intense battle for Verstappen’s future teammate continues to keep the F1 community on edge.
