Red Bull postpones driver announcement as Lindblad excels.

      "We'll take some time before making a decision."

      Red Bull has delayed its highly anticipated driver announcements, even as emerging talent Arvid Lindblad strengthens his case for a 2026 Formula 1 seat. Helmut Marko had indicated that both Red Bull teams would finalize their lineups by the Mexican Grand Prix weekend, but the timeline has now been extended. "We have some answers, but I can't disclose what the driver lineup will be," Marko told Sky Italia. "We'll take a bit of time and then reach a decision. Let's observe what transpires after the race here, and then we'll at least provide some insights."

      Nevertheless, the situation is becoming clearer. Lindblad is projected to advance to Racing Bulls in 2026, taking the place of Isack Hadjar, who is reportedly set to join Red Bull Racing. This leaves one spot potentially available - a contest between Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson for the remaining seat. Lindblad practiced in Max Verstappen's car during FP1 in Mexico and made an immediate impression, even recording a faster lap than Tsunoda. "The team made it clear, 'Be careful, it's Max's car!'" the 18-year-old chuckled. "I believe I did well, aside from a few minor errors."

      Marko agreed with that assessment. "Lindblad has been on our radar for quite some time," he mentioned to Blick. "Now he has once again shown that our judgment was spot on. It was a very challenging situation for Arvid - we advised him against crashing the car - but he delivered a strong performance and was the fastest rookie. His technical insights were also commendable, so we are quite pleased with him."

      Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies stated that the team wants to give Tsunoda ample opportunity to demonstrate his abilities. "We aim to provide Yuki and all our other drivers as much time as necessary," Mekies confirmed. "Although we've previously mentioned making a decision after Mexico, there's certainly no need to rush. We will take our time, and when we are prepared, we will announce a decision."

      Racing Bulls team principal Alan Permane echoed this sentiment of patience. "It's accurate that it will occur after Mexico," he confirmed. "However, I cannot say whether it will be immediately after Mexico or weeks later - perhaps in Brazil or Las Vegas, so don't interpret that too literally. We have five drivers, and we know for certain that Max won't be in our car," he joked. "There are four left, and we are continuing to assess the situation. For now, both teams are engaged in a close Constructors' Championship battle, so it's best not to start driver negotiations that could disrupt our stability."

      Meanwhile, Hadjar - who is widely believed to be Tsunoda's replacement - is weary of constantly answering questions about his future. "Ideally, I wish everyone would wait until the season concludes before inquiring about me," said the Frenchman, who is sporting an Alain Prost tribute helmet this weekend. "This commotion is quite frustrating. Yet, there hasn't been a single session this year where I was three-tenths slower without a clear reason. That's never happened to me before. So, I am satisfied with my performance - which likely means Red Bull is pleased as well."