Isack Hadjar is ready to step up to Red Bull Racing. That\u2019s a telling admission from one of his main rivals for the seat, Liam Lawson.<\/p>\n
Hadjar and Lawson are, at least on paper, the two drivers vying to replace Yuki Tsunoda as Max Verstappen\u2019s F1 2026 teammate, although the Japanese driver isn\u2019t out of the running himself.<\/p>\n
Liam Lawson is one of three drivers fighting for the Red Bull seat<\/p>\n
Lawson<\/a> had that seat at the beginning of this season when he was promoted ahead of Tsunoda despite completing just 11 races with Red Bull\u2019s sister team, Racing Bulls, over two seasons.<\/p>\n He was demoted back to Racing Bulls after just two race weekends as he struggled to immediately gel with the RB21, and failed to get past the first hurdle in qualifying in three attempts with back-to-back P20s in the two quali sessions in China.<\/p>\n Although it took him several races to regain his confidence at Racing Bulls, Lawson has gone on to score 20 points, putting him eight ahead of Tsunoda. However, it is the other side of the Racing Bulls garage that is really shinning.<\/p>\n Hadjar, arguably the rookie of the season, has seven points-scoring results in 16 races, including an impressive third place at the Dutch Grand Prix where he brought his VCARB02 across the line two seconds behind Verstappen.<\/p>\n The brutal world of Formula 1:<\/p>\n \ud83d\udc49 All the mid-season driver swaps Red Bull have made in their F1 history<\/a><\/p>\n \ud83d\udc49 Revealed: The shortest F1 careers this century in the brutal world of Formula 1<\/a><\/p>\n The 20-year-old is understood to be the favourite to partner Verstappen next season, although Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko is in no rush to make a decision.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve extended the options, or rather, the drivers have extended them with us,\u201d Marko told Sky Deutschland after Hadjar\u2019s podium at Zandvoort.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, around September or October, we want to have a few more races to observe, and then we\u2019ll make the decisions.\u201d<\/p>\n But while Hadjar stepping up would mean another season at Racing Bulls for Lawson, or even the end of his Formula 1 career, the New Zealander is adamant his teammate is ready for that seat.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s done a very good job this year,\u201d Lawson told PlanetF1.com\u2019s Thomas Maher and other publications at Monza. \u201cTo have a podium this season is pretty spectacular. He\u2019s doing a really great job.<\/p>\n \u201cIn some ways, I think a lot of drivers always feel ready for another step. He\u2019s doing all the right things right now.<\/p>\n \u201cIt depends on what position the car is in next year, how it is to drive,\u201d Lawson said.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s probably the biggest thing about that seat right now. So there are a lot of variables there.<\/p>\n \u201cAs a driver, he\u2019s ready. If you\u2019re ready to be in F1 in the first place, I think you\u2019d be ready for that kind of position.\u201d<\/p>\n Asked for his thoughts on Tsunoda, who like Lawson is facing an uncertain future in Formula 1, the 23-year-old wasn\u2019t willing to pass judgement on the Japanese driver\u2019s form.<\/p>\n Tsunoda has spent 14 races with Red Bull and scored just nine points, with his season including an eight-race streak outside the top ten.<\/p>\n