Max Verstappen<\/a> is launching a late challenge for the drivers\u2019 championship<\/a>, and Red Bull can rely on the Dutchman still being with the team next year.<\/p>\n For the first time since the 2020 Russian Grand Prix, all four Red Bull-backed drivers finished in the points on Sunday.<\/p>\n RANKDRIVERTEAMPOINTS1Max VerstappenRed Bull252George RussellMercedes183Carlos SainzWilliams154Kimi AntonelliMercedes125Liam LawsonRacing Bulls106Yuki TsunodaRed Bull87Lando NorrisMcLaren68Lewis HamiltonFerrari49Charles LeclercFerrari210Isack HadjarRacing Bulls12025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix results<\/p>\n Yuki Tsunoda<\/a> produced his best result since being promoted to Red Bull, securing eight points for Mekies\u2019 team.<\/p>\n Isack Hadjar<\/a> snuck into the points in 10th, while Liam Lawson<\/a> secured his best result in Formula 1.<\/p>\n Lawson earned a new nickname from F1 fans<\/a> after qualifying third for Racing Bulls and taking the chequered flag in P5.<\/p>\n The trio of Red Bull-backed drivers are all waiting to discover their fates heading into next year, with the F1 driver market<\/a> looking bleak for whoever misses out on a race seat.<\/p>\n READ MORE: All you need to know about Red Bull Racing from engine to Ford links<\/a><\/p>\n Journalist Josh Suttill was in attendance at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, and speaking on The Race F1 Podcast, he was asked if there\u2019s any chance of Liam Lawson returning to Red Bull next year, and replied: \u201cI think there is probably a 2% chance of that happening, if less than that.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd that\u2019s no discredit to Lawson. But look at Pierre Gasly. Look at the job that Gasly did at AlphaTauri, Toro Rosso; he did a great job.<\/p>\n \u201cHe was performing at a very high level, but Red Bull never considered putting him back there because, unfortunately, it didn\u2019t work out the first time.<\/p>\n \u201cGasly\u2019s Red Bull stint was probably far better than the two races Lawson managed. It was such a disaster that I feel like that link is severed forever.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd we even came into the weekend asking Lawson about his future, asking if he was looking outside of Red Bull, and we kind of got the hint that he probably is.<\/p>\n \u201cBut unfortunately, as we said before, there aren\u2019t really many options of a seat.<\/p>\n \u201cBut I think what he said was that he\u2019d always imagined the only way to win a world championship was with the Red Bull.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, the only kind of dream was to get into Red Bull Racing, and now, he\u2019s kind of realised, actually, there are dreams outside of that.<\/p>\n \u201cSo yeah, unfortunately, the chances of him returning are very, very slim. But, at least he is performing at a very decent level now, which could at least help him retain his seat or impress somebody else, even if there isn\u2019t a seat available for next year.\u201d<\/p>\n READ MORE: Who is Racing Bulls F1 driver Liam Lawson? Everything you need to know<\/a><\/p>\n How could Red Bull and Racing Bulls line up for the 2026 Formula 1 season?<\/p>\n With seven race weekends to go, Hadjar is the frontrunner to be Verstappen\u2019s teammate next season<\/a>.<\/p>\n The French rookie made a critical error during his final run in Q3 that saw him only qualify eighth when he believed he could have started ahead of Lawson.<\/p>\n Tsunoda\u2019s most likely scenario is a return to Racing Bulls<\/a> at this stage, although his upturn in form in Baku would have given Mekies and Helmut Marko<\/a> something to think about.<\/p>\n TEAMDRIVER 1DRIVER 2AlpinePierre GaslyN\/AAston MartinFernando AlonsoLance StrollAudiGabriel BortoletoNico HulkenbergCadillacValtteri BottasSergio PerezFerrariCharles LeclercLewis HamiltonHaasEsteban OconOliver BearmanMcLarenLando NorrisOscar PiastriMercedesN\/AN\/ARacing BullsN\/AN\/ARed Bull RacingMax VerstappenN\/AWilliamsAlex AlbonCarlos Sainz2026 confirmed F1 drivers<\/p>\n Marko was privately delighted with Tsunoda<\/a> after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, but may have other plans for the team\u2019s line-up.<\/p>\n It means the final seat at Racing Bulls could be a shootout between Lawson and F2 star Arvid Lindblad<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"Red](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/GettyImages-2236051136-1024x683.jpg\")
Photo by Jakub Porzycki\/NurPhoto via Getty ImagesLiam Lawson given \u2018less than 2% chance\u2019 of Red Bull return despite career-best Baku result<\/p>\n![\"Racing](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/GettyImages-2236206532-1024x683.jpg\")
Photo by Jakub Porzycki\/NurPhoto via Getty Images<\/p>\n