Oct.26 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko says Crimson Bull will verify its 2026 driver plans “after the Grand Prix” – with teenage prodigy Arvid Lindblad now nearly sure to be promoted to the Racing Bulls lineup.
The 18-year-old impressed on Friday in Mexico when he took over Max Verstappen’s automotive for FP1 and even lapped sooner than Yuki Tsunoda. “That definitely wasn’t nice for Tsunoda,” Marko admitted to Kleine Zeitung.
Marko praised Lindblad’s composure underneath strain.
“He stayed cool, though everybody instructed him he couldn’t harm the automotive – we solely had one underbody,” he mentioned. “So he wasn’t allowed to scratch it, and he was nonetheless the quickest rookie.”
Lindblad is now nearly assured a full-time Racing Bulls seat from 2026, changing Isack Hadjar – who is predicted to graduate to Crimson Bull Racing. That leaves Tsunoda and Liam Lawson vying for a single remaining seat.
“We’ll assess every part after the Grand Prix after which announce every part,” Marko confirmed on Saturday in Mexico.
Tsunoda’s latest inconsistency – regardless of an upward pattern – seems to be hurting his case. “Tsunoda dropped out of rivalry within the second session, ending eleventh,” Marko mentioned after qualifying. “He’s regularly bettering – his outcomes proceed to pattern upward – however he’s at all times additional behind in qualifying than in races.
“He must be taught to manage that.”
Former staff driver Sergio Perez – attending his house race forward of his 2026 comeback with Cadillac – says he’s not stunned by how troublesome Tsunoda and Lawson discovered life inside the primary Crimson Bull staff.
“As quickly because the separation from Crimson Bull was finalised, I knew that the poor man who got here to Crimson Bull Racing could be helpless – as a result of I had barely managed to outlive in a really troublesome surroundings,” Perez instructed reporters in Mexico.
The Mexican defined that being Verstappen’s teammate is a uniquely punishing activity. “It’s very troublesome to drive alongside Max. Most individuals don’t perceive that,” he mentioned.
“I may speak a lot about it, however let’s simply depart it at this – there’s no driver who may compete with Max. Whether or not you set Hamilton or Leclerc within the automotive, they’d all be screwed.”
Perez mentioned the problem stems largely from Verstappen’s excessive setup preferences. Like Michael Schumacher at Ferrari, Verstappen thrives on a automotive that offers most front-end really feel – even when it makes the rear nervous.
“It’s important to adapt to Max’s driving type,” Perez defined. “It’s not that the automotive handles badly, however the stability could be very particular. And in the event you don’t drive it like he does, you’re utterly misplaced.
“There are such a lot of issues that outsiders don’t realise. It’s not nearly driving quick – it’s additionally about coping with the strain and expectations. It’s actually robust. And that’s why I say, no driver can simply present up at Crimson Bull and anticipate every part to run like clockwork.”
