Helmut Marko says it is likely that Red Bull will not announce its 2026 driver line-up until the end of the season.

While the team claims that this is due to its focussing on the 2025 drivers' title, the fact is that the Austrian outfit isn't in any rush for all the prospective candidates are firmly under contract.

"We postponed our decision until the end of the season, because first we want to focus on the championship fight," Marko told Motorsport.com, having previously suggested that a decision would be made around the time of the Mexican Grand Prix.

Asked if this means the announcement will come once the season is over, and the championship concluded, he said: "No, but it will be around Abu Dhabi. We will just focus on the championship first."

"We want to take a bit more time before we make a decision on the drivers," admitted Laurent Mekies. "Yuki is making steps forward, and the other kids are making steps forward as well," he added. "We have no reason to rush the decision, so we will take a bit more time."

Of course, other than the fact that Tsunoda is not a Red Bull protege, although improving it is too little too late, especially when you look at the fact that Max Verstappen has scored 321 of the team's 346 points.

Liam Lawson has effectively had his chance, even though the New Zealander was only given two races in which to prove himself in what we now know was an inferior car.

Arvid Lindblad is highly rated, and gave a good account of himself in FP1 at the weekend, but is most likely going to serve his apprenticeship with the junior team, as did Verstappen leaving Isack Hadjar as the most likely candidate,

"I think he did a great job," said Mekies of Lindblad. "It's so difficult to step up in FP1. It's very different these days, as you don't have many tyres and you don't have many laps. But he did a very good job.

"You have seen all the timesheets by yourself, but he was very calm and gave all the right feedback. He didn't put a foot wrong, and he didn't break the car!" he added, the Anglo-Swede having been at the wheel of Verstappen's car for the session. "So, honestly, he has impressed us, no question about that. And we look forward to the next time in the car towards the end of the year."

Though the focus is on who will partner Verstappen in 2026, the other question is which two drivers will comprise Racing Bulls' line-up, with Lawson and Lindblad looking most likely.

Of course, if Red Bull wanted to think outside the box they might consider giving Alex Albon another go, or even his Williams teammate.