Red Bull focuses on McLaren's junior driver Dunne while Tsunoda faces scrutiny.

      Marko did not dismiss the possibility.

      There are rumors circulating at Monza suggesting that Red Bull may be interested in young Irish talent Alex Dunne. The 19-year-old, who is currently a McLaren development driver and competing in Formula 2 this year, impressed once again by participating in Friday’s practice for the Woking-based team. However, with uncertainty surrounding Yuki Tsunoda’s future and Isack Hadjar being anticipated for a 2026 Red Bull Racing seat, insiders in the paddock indicate that Dunne might be a candidate for the Racing Bulls in 2026, particularly if Liam Lawson is not kept. When asked at Monza, Helmut Marko did not dismiss the potential.

      For the moment, though, Red Bull maintains that Tsunoda will at least finish the season. "The short answer is yes," said Racing Bulls team principal Laurent Mekies when queried about the Japanese driver's position until the end of 2025. "We’ve made it perfectly clear that we have time regarding our driver decision," he added. "We do not intend to make changes during the season. Yuki has been making solid progress in the last three races. We all desire more, but he’s performing well. Fundamentally, we hold all our cards on the Red Bull side, and we can take a few more weeks—or months—to decide."

      In the meantime, Marko asserts that the more composed atmosphere at Red Bull following the departure of Horner is already yielding benefits. "There’s a completely different foundation for technical discussions, which is having a positive impact on the results," he stated to Sky Deutschland. "Yuki also reached tenth place in Q3. You can observe the upward trajectory."