Featured Image Credit: F1TV
Topics: Formula 1, Qatar, Red Bull Racing, Max Verstappen
Ryan Smart
F1 fans are convinced that the driver who will take one of the three vacant seats for 2026 was accidentally 'leaked' by a Sky Sports commentator.
Qualifying for the Qatar Grand Prix sprint took place on Friday evening, with McLaren's Oscar Piastri qualifying on pole and Mercedes' George Russell in second.
Piastri's team-mate and championship leader Lando Norris was third, though was effectively impeded by Alex Albon during his final run after the Williams driver overtook him late on their preparation lap.
It was a less successful day for Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who trails Norris by 24 points - along with Piastri - heading into the final two race weekends.
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The Dutchman complained about bouncing on several occasions, and his car understeered into the gravel during the final session.
He will start the sprint race in sixth, having been out-qualified for the first time this season by team-mate Yuki Tsunoda, who is fifth.
A strong weekend could yet decide Tsunoda's Red Bull future, with the Japanese driver scoring just 28 points all season after replacing Liam Lawson following the second Grand Prix in China.
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Isack Hadjar, who is currently driving for Racing Bulls in his rookie season, is being tipped as one of the candidates to replace Tsunoda if yet another driver change is made.
And speaking on commentary for Sky Sports F1, David Croft did not make reference to Hadjar when listing potential Racing Bulls drivers for next season.
And although Croft may simply have forgot to mention Hadjar, fans have their own theory.
While commentating on team-mate Lawson's hotlap, Croft said: "Liam Lawson and his future is still to be decided.
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"Will it be him or Yuki Tsunoda or Arvid Lindblad [Red Bull junior driver] next year at Racing Bulls? We'll find out soon, I think, on that one."
Tsunoda addressed the speculation that he could leave Red Bull ahead of the weekend.
He told Viaplay: "I know something that I can't share. But most people know it - I'm in a similar understanding with you guys.
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"I don't know what's going to happen, so let's see.
"I'm only thinking about this race. It's not made yet, it's still in my hands and I'll just try to support Max as much as possible and if I'm able to achieve, that'll naturally be positive for my future so I'll just aim for that."
If Tsunoda does not secure a seat at either Red Bull or Racing Bulls, he will be forced to sit out the 2026 season as all the other seats are occupied.
The Japanese driver has never scored a podium in F1 but has been one of the most consistent drivers in the midfield over recent years, regularly pushing his Racing Bulls car into comfortable points positions before his move to Red Bull.
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But his time at Red Bull hasn't yet gone as planned - though his lack of pace hasn't always been his fault.
Helmut Marko is said to have personally apologised to Tsunoda after they applied the incorrect tyre pressures during qualifying for the Las Vegas Grand Prix, where he qualified 19th.
Speaking on the Autosport podcast, F1 journalist Ronald Vording said: "What was a bit unusual, because it doesn't happen too often, Helmut Marko literally said sorry to him. Because the chat I had with Helmut Marko in the paddock after the race ... he said, 'Yes, our mistake, shouldn't happen. So we feel sorry for Yuki'.
"Yuki himself is a little bit frustrated with that. He admitted in the pen, because these are the weeks he has to show himself and prove himself."