Johnny Herbert goes rogue in pick for second Red Bull seat: ‘He’s very impressive’

Yuki Tsunoda is under pressure in the second Red Bull seat, with Isack Hadjar impressing at Racing Bulls

Johnny Herbert believes Red Bull should pick Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto for their second seat next year.

Four-time F1 world champion Max Verstappen has committed to Red Bull for 2026 despite links to Mercedes, but the question surrounding the second seat and the poisoned chalice of Verstappen’s teammate remains unanswered.

Yuki Tsunoda, promoted to replace Liam Lawson after just two races this year, has struggled for performance in the RB21 and has finished in the top-10 just once in the last nine races.

Meanwhile, Isack Hadjar is performing well in his rookie year at sister team Racing Bulls, even securing his first podium in Zandvoort last week.

Yet three-time race winner Herbert says Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies should look outside the team’s talent pool and target Brazilian rookie Bortoleto.

“I'd probably edge giving the Red Bull seat to Bortoleto,” Herbert said. “He won the F3 and F2 championships in consecutive years.

“But the really positive thing in his favour, which is what Oscar has got with Mark Webber, is that he has Fernando Alonso as his manager.

“He can give him maybe that extra ingredient that enables him to keep on improving, whereas Hadjar hasn't got someone like Fernando behind him. He’s having to work it all out for himself.”

Bortoleto has hit a rich vein of form in recent months, scoring points in four of his last six races at a much-improved Sauber outfit. The 20-year-old is under contract at the team morphing to Audi for next year, but Red Bull could look to buy him out of his contract if they so wish.

Johnny Herbert says Red Bull should pick Gabriel Bortoleto for 2026 (Getty Images)

Bortoleto speaks to Max Verstappen at a press conference earlier this year (Getty Images)

However, Mekies insists he is in no rush to pick the driver who will race alongside Verstappen, who won for the third time this year on Sunday in Monza, next year.

“Bortoleto races against Alonso, one of the best ever, and he’s gaining racing awareness,” Herbert added, in quotes in association with Racing Tipster. “Then they will have a chat about it after a race.

“That's why it gives him the edge but he's very impressive, in a car that arguably is not as good as the RB [Racing Bulls].”

There are eight races left of the 2025 season and F1 next heads to Baku for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix (19-21 September).