Verstappen, Hadjar Seen as Red Bull’s Ideal Future Pair, Mekies Says
NXTbets Pro | Published On: July 23, 2026
Red Bull interest
Red Bull is drawing calls from good drivers about future seats, and Mekies says that interest comes with the territory. The team principal is treating the attention as a normal part of life at the front of Formula 1, not a distraction. Red Bull’s recent pace has put its lineup under a brighter spotlight, but Mekies says the team stays locked on the same priority, closing the gap to the front of the field. That message matters because Red Bull has moved forward during the season. The team started more than a second off the pace early on, then cut that deficit to two or three tenths after recent upgrades. That improvement has changed the tone around the garage. It has also changed the temperature around the driver market. When a team keeps finding time in the car, other drivers take notice. Mekies is framing that interest as a sign of Red Bull’s place in the sport, not a problem to manage. The message from the team is simple. Improve the car and the rest follows. That view sits at the center of Red Bull’s present push. It wants better results on track first. It wants the speculation around seats to stay in the background. Mekies has made it clear he believes the team can handle both at once.
Verstappen Future
Max Verstappen remains the biggest name in the discussion, and his future keeps drawing attention because of Red Bull’s inconsistent front-running pace. His contract runs through the end of 2028, but performance clauses could allow him to leave after this season. That detail has kept his situation open to interpretation, even as Red Bull tries to steady its form. The speculation has grown because Verstappen has not won a race in 2026 with the RB22, and he has been linked with McLaren after that winless start to the season. Red Bull’s lack of consistent pace at the sharp end has fed the conversation. Mekies is not treating that as a sign of collapse. He said he is optimistic Verstappen will stay if Red Bull keeps improving its car. That view fits the team’s broader message. The priority is not to talk through every rumor. It is to deliver a quicker machine and let the results shape the rest. Verstappen has also given a clear sense of his own focus. He said he is centered on helping Red Bull solve its complicated Formula 1 problems ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix. When asked about his future, he did not give a clear answer, and he said he would speak up himself if anything changed. That leaves Red Bull with a familiar Formula 1 equation. Keep the car moving forward. Keep the driver engaged. Keep the noise outside the garage from becoming the story inside it. For now, the facts point to a team still trying to turn progress into proof, with Verstappen still at the center of every major question around the project.
Hadjar Fit
Red Bull also sees Isack Hadjar as part of its long-term picture. The team views Verstappen and Hadjar as its ideal driver lineup for the future, a pairing that would link one established star with one of the season’s stronger emerging performers. Hadjar has backed up that view with a run of results. He has finished in the top six in each of the last six grands prix, a sequence that gives Red Bull another reason to rate him highly. His Belgium drive showed more of the same. He recovered to sixth after starting from the back of the grid because of a penalty, turning a difficult launch into another strong finish. That kind of resilience fits the profile Red Bull wants if it is thinking beyond the immediate fight over pace and future contracts. It also adds context to the interest Red Bull is getting from other drivers. A team that is still working to close the gap can still look ahead at the same time. Hadjar’s recent form gives Red Bull a second pillar in that outlook. Verstappen remains the reference point. Hadjar is the case for continuity and depth. Together they give the team a clear option if it chooses to build around its current direction. Red Bull would like the conversation to stay there, on performance and on its own drivers, rather than on outside speculation. For now, the picture is straightforward. The team is improving. Verstappen’s future is still under scrutiny. Hadjar is making a strong case to stay in the frame.
