Isack Hadjar set for Red Bull drive as Honda deal could throw Yuki Tsunoda a lifeline

Red Bull Racing is poised to implement a significant overhaul of its Formula 1 driver lineup for the 2026 season, with highly-rated French junior Isack Hadjar understood to be promoted to partner reigning world champion Max Verstappen. This strategic move, expected to be formally announced on Tuesday, signals a new era for the senior team while also precipitating a series of changes across the Red Bull motorsport pyramid, notably impacting the future of current Racing Bulls driver Yuki Tsunoda, whose continued involvement in F1 may now hinge on a critical engine supply agreement with Honda for future testing.

Sources close to the team indicate that Hadjar’s ascent to Red Bull Racing is part of a broader restructuring that will see Arvid Lindblad, another promising talent from the Red Bull junior program, elevated to a full-time Formula 1 seat at Racing Bulls. This promotion for Lindblad, who has rapidly climbed the ranks through junior categories, underscores Red Bull’s long-standing commitment to developing and fielding its own proteges.

The ripple effect of these promotions leaves the remaining seat at Racing Bulls in contention between Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson. However, a report from the respected Dutch publication De Telegraaf suggests that New Zealander Liam Lawson is favored to retain his position, thereby leaving Tsunoda without a full-time race drive for the 2026 season. This development aligns with Tsunoda’s own recent comments during the Qatar Grand Prix weekend, where he cryptically alluded to "knowing something he couldn’t say yet," hinting at an uncertain future regarding his race seat.

Tsunoda, who made his Formula 1 debut with AlphaTauri (now Racing Bulls) in 2021, has been a consistent presence in the Red Bull family, often lauded for his raw speed and aggressive driving style. Over his four seasons in the sport, the Japanese driver has accumulated 65 points across 81 starts, with a best finish of fourth at the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. His career has been closely intertwined with Honda, who supported his progression through junior formulae and into F1 as part of their engine partnership with Red Bull. This strong historical connection with Honda now appears to be a crucial factor in his potential lifeline.

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The intricate discussions between Red Bull and Honda revolve around an agreement for the supply of Honda’s V6 turbo-hybrid powertrains specifically for ‘Testing of Previous Cars’ (TPC) in 2026. This technical arrangement has gained critical importance due to the impending regulatory changes in Formula 1 for the 2026 season, which will introduce new power unit regulations emphasizing increased electrical power and the use of 100% sustainable fuels. Red Bull will embark on this new era with its own power unit, developed in conjunction with American automotive giant Ford, under the banner of Red Bull Powertrains (RBP). Both Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls are slated to switch to this new RBP-Ford power unit for the 2026 season, marking the end of their competitive engine supply relationship with Honda, who will partner with Aston Martin from 2026.

Under new mandates from the FIA, engine manufacturers are required to supply engines to their former customer teams for TPC testing. Crucially, these TPC engine supply agreements are not subject to a price cap, allowing manufacturers to potentially set their own rates. During the Qatar Grand Prix weekend, Motorsport.com learned that Red Bull had engaged in talks with Honda regarding precisely such a deal for the upcoming year.

Red Bull’s motorsport advisor, Dr. Helmut Marko, provided an update on these discussions in an exclusive interview, stating, "We’ve always had a good and fair relationship with Honda. We had a meeting on Friday, and I think we’re on the right track to resolving this issue." This statement underscores the positive nature of the ongoing negotiations and the mutual desire to find a workable solution.

The ability to conduct TPC testing is deemed essential for Red Bull as it prepares for the significantly revised technical landscape of 2026. Formula 1’s stringent regulations severely limit the number of official test days and filming days available to teams. TPC testing, therefore, offers a vital avenue for additional track time, allowing teams to evaluate various car components, systems, and driver performance in a controlled environment. For Red Bull, securing Honda engines for these tests would be instrumental in providing vital F1 experience to developing talents such as Arvid Lindblad, helping them acclimate to the demands of Formula 1 machinery before their official race debuts. It also offers a platform for other promising individuals within the Red Bull junior program to gain invaluable track time as they progress.

A key strategic advantage of the TPC engine supply is that the costs incurred by engine suppliers for these tests are explicitly excluded from the sport’s budget cap. This provision theoretically allows well-resourced teams like Red Bull to absorb potentially higher costs for these engines without impacting their core development budget for the new 2026 car. While Red Bull would naturally seek a commercially viable and mutually acceptable agreement, the exclusion from the budget cap provides a degree of financial flexibility that emphasizes the strategic importance of these tests.

The proposed TPC deal holds particular significance for Yuki Tsunoda. Should Red Bull successfully finalize the agreement with Honda, it could pave the way for Tsunoda to secure a reserve driver role across both Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls. This role would likely include a dedicated TPC testing program for him, ensuring he remains actively involved in Formula 1 and continues to gain valuable experience, despite potentially losing his full-time race seat. Tsunoda’s extensive experience with Honda power units throughout his F1 career makes him an ideal candidate to provide feedback during such testing.

The situation surrounding Tsunoda’s Honda-backed marketing involvement has also become more complex due to the forthcoming Red Bull Powertrains-Ford partnership. With Ford becoming a prominent partner for Red Bull’s new engine venture, the established marketing synergy between Tsunoda and Honda faced inherent challenges. A reserve role with a TPC testing mandate, separate from the main racing operations, could offer a pragmatic solution to maintaining his F1 ties and Honda’s association with him without direct conflict with Red Bull’s new commercial partnerships.

The Red Bull junior program has a storied history of identifying and nurturing talent, producing multiple world champions and grand prix winners. The promotions of Hadjar and Lindblad for 2026 reflect the program’s continued strength and the rigorous selection process for its top prospects. Isack Hadjar, currently competing in Formula 2, has consistently demonstrated strong pace and racecraft, making him a prime candidate for a top-tier F1 drive. Arvid Lindblad, a relative newcomer to the feeder series ladder, has shown exceptional promise, rapidly ascending through the ranks of Formula 4 and Formula 3.

Regardless of the specific outcome for Yuki Tsunoda, the ability for Red Bull to conduct comprehensive TPC testing next year is paramount for their 2026 preparations. The new regulations represent one of the most significant overhauls in recent Formula 1 history, demanding extensive development and validation. The Honda deal, therefore, is not merely about driver placements but represents a critical strategic imperative for Red Bull’s long-term competitive aspirations in the sport. The formal announcement on Tuesday is expected to provide definitive clarity on these pivotal changes.

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Jonas Leo: Jonas Leo is a passionate motorsport journalist and lifelong Formula 1 enthusiast. With a sharp eye for race strategy and driver performance, he brings readers closer to the world of Grand Prix racing through in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive paddock insights. Jonas has covered everything from preseason testing to dramatic title deciders, capturing the emotion and precision that define modern F1. When he’s not tracking lap times or pit stop tactics, he enjoys exploring classic racing archives and writing about the evolution of F1 technology.