RED BULL is under no pressure to finalise its driver line-up for the 2025 Formula One season following a successful team performance at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Team principal Laurent Mekies confirmed the energy drink brand holds all contractual cards regarding its pool of drivers across the Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls teams.
“We have more time. We will not wait until Abu Dhabi but we have a few more races for sure,“ Mekies stated after Sunday’s race.
The Baku weekend saw all four Red Bull-affiliated drivers finish in the points for the first time since the 2020 Russian Grand Prix.
Reigning world champion Max Verstappen secured victory for the senior Red Bull Racing team.
Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson achieved a career-best fifth place after starting from third on the grid.
His starting position represented the highest by a New Zealand driver since Chris Amon in 1976.
Yuki Tsunoda finished directly behind Lawson in sixth place for Red Bull Racing.
That result marked Tsunoda’s best finish since his promotion from Racing Bulls and his highest placing since his 2021 rookie season.
Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar completed the points-scoring quartet by taking tenth position.
Hadjar is now considered the favourite to replace Tsunoda at Red Bull Racing next season.
The 20-year-old French driver has already secured a podium with third place in the Netherlands this year.
Red Bull must decide if Hadjar is ready for the considerable challenge of partnering the dominant Verstappen.
Highly-rated Red Bull junior Arvid Lindblad is also in contention for a promotion to Racing Bulls.
The 18-year-old Anglo-Swedish driver currently sits seventh in the Formula Two standings after Baku.
Lindblad could potentially be held back for another season in the feeder series.
A promotion for both Hadjar and Lindblad would leave one Racing Bulls seat available.
The final spot would then be contested between Lawson and the potentially displaced Tsunoda.
Tsunoda’s position is complicated by engine supplier Honda’s impending switch to Aston Martin.
Lawson therefore appears to have an advantage for any remaining seat.
Mekies described Tsunoda’s performance in Baku as a “clean sample” of his capabilities.
The Japanese driver believes he has found a new level of performance.
“I feel like I have unlocked something that I can take into future races,“ Tsunoda told reporters. – Reuters