Lewis Hamilton Warns Red Bull: Fix Your “Toxic” Culture Before You Ruin Another Rookie

Let’s be honest, following the driver lineup drama at Red Bull Racing is more exhausting than running a marathon in clogs. Just when you think the dust has settled, Dr. Marko and Christian Horner decide to spin the wheel of fortune again.

This time, the victim of the Red Bull meat grinder isn’t just anyone—it’s the fan-favorite Yuki Tsunoda, who has been shoved into a “dual reserve role” after a season of inconsistent form. And frankly, Lewis Hamilton has seen enough.

The seven-time world champion, currently grinding through a tough debut season with Ferrari, didn’t mince words when asked about the latest shake-up.

While the F1 world is buzzing about rookie Isack Hadjar stepping up to partner with Max Verstappen in 2026, Hamilton took a moment to pour one out for Tsunoda and issue a stern warning to the team that seems to treat its drivers like disposable vapes.

1. The Red Bull Revolving Door Spins Again

If you’ve been watching Formula 1 for more than five minutes, you know the drill. Red Bull promotes a young talent, promises them the world, and then unceremoniously dumps them the second they don’t match Max Verstappen’s alien-like pace. We saw it with Daniil Kvyat. We saw it with Pierre Gasly. We saw it with Alex Albon. It’s a pattern so predictable you could set your watch to it. Hamilton, arguably the elder statesman of the grid now, pointed out exactly what we were all thinking. Speaking ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, he highlighted the brutal environment that has become Red Bull’s trademark. “We all know what happens when people go to Red Bull and the environment that you’re thrown into,” Hamilton noted, probably while shaking his head in that disappointed-dad way he’s mastered. “Looking from the outside it’s obviously quite difficult.” That is putting it mildly, Lewis. “Difficult” is trying to assemble IKEA furniture without instructions. Being the second driver at Red Bull is more like trying to survive a shark tank while wearing a meat suit.

2. Justice for Yuki?

The saddest part of this whole saga is Yuki Tsunoda. The “amazing driver”—Hamilton’s words, not mine (though I agree)—has been fighting tooth and nail in the midfield. Sure, his form dipped mid-season, but does that warrant a demotion to reserve driver while a rookie jumps the queue? Hamilton was quick to defend the Japanese driver, emphasizing that surviving the Red Bull system is a badge of honor in itself. “Yuki is an amazing driver. Every driver that goes there has this general experience, but it doesn’t mean those drivers aren’t great. It’s clearly something else.” That “something else” is the elephant in the room. It’s the pressure cooker environment that seems designed to break anyone who isn’t named Max Verstappen. Hamilton is essentially calling out the team’s inability to nurture talent properly. Instead of coaching drivers through a slump, they just swap them out like old tires. It’s harsh, it’s cold, and frankly, it’s getting a bit old.

3. A Warning for the New Kid on the Block

So, where does this leave Isack Hadjar? The young Frenchman has done a “phenomenal job” this year, according to Hamilton, and has earned his shot at the big time. But getting the seat is the easy part. Keeping it without losing your sanity is the real challenge. Hamilton expressed zero worry about Hadjar’s talent but plenty of concern about whether Red Bull will actually support him. “I just hope that there are changes made,” he said, referencing the need for a support system that doesn’t crumble the moment a driver has a bad weekend. It’s a fair point. Hadjar is walking into the lion’s den. He’s got the talent, sure, but so did Gasly and Albon. If Red Bull doesn’t change its approach—if they don’t start treating their second driver like a human being rather than a data point—we might be having this same conversation about Hadjar in two years. It’s interesting to hear Hamilton speak so candidly about team environments, especially given his own current struggles. His first year at Ferrari hasn’t exactly been a fairytale. Sitting on zero podiums for the first time in his career, Lewis knows a thing or two about adversity. But the difference is, at Ferrari, the pressure feels different. It’s passionate, sure, but it doesn’t feel like you’re constantly one race away from being fired. As Hamilton looks toward 2026, he’s clearly hoping that the grid becomes a better place for the next generation. He wants to see drivers like Hadjar succeed, not get chewed up and spat out by a toxic team culture. Will Red Bull listen to the advice of their biggest rival? Probably not. They usually operate on a “win at all costs” mentality that leaves emotional intelligence at the door. But for the sake of Isack Hadjar—and for poor Yuki Tsunoda—we can only hope Hamilton is right, and that serious changes are on the horizon. Because let’s face it: F1 is better when the drivers are fighting each other on track, not fighting for their mental health off it.

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