“Question mark” worry over Red Bull’s future-proofing of Max Verstappen
Talent within Red Bull junior ranks is debated
Red Bull’s future plan to rebuild if Max Verstappen leaves has been called into question.
Verstappen remains committed to Red Bull until the end of 2028 but whether he will see out his contract remains a topic of debate in the F1 paddock.
Mercedes could offer an intriguing destination when the new regulations begin in 2026.
Red Bull could opt to search from within their much-heralded talent pool which currently includes Isack Hadjar and Arvid Lindblad.
“If you look at the performances of Ollie Bearman, and that Kimi Antonelli has the Mercedes seat next year, Hadjar is doing better than both of them,” Rachel Brookes told the Sky F1 podcast.
“So it’s not as bad as it seems. We don’t know the talent that is there, at the moment.
“It’s hard to read F2. A lot of the teams have struggled with their new regulations.
“You can’t read it in a way that you maybe did in the past, when Charles Leclerc or George Russell came through.
“They do have talent in Isack Hadjar and Arvid Lindblad. I don’t think it’s as bad as it looks.
“But who will be the big name in that team? If Max goes… “George Russell has another year, would he go to Red Bull?
“There are plenty of people who could fill the No2, but the No1 is a question mark.”
Red Bull’s second seat is routinely the subject of debate - Sergio Perez will likely face a fight to keep it in 2025, ahead of Liam Lawson or even Yuki Tsunoda.
But their No1 seat - despite Verstappen’s long contract - will also be scrutinised if the F1 champion is tempted away.
Red Bull junior Hadjar is out-performing 2025 F1 drivers Bearman and Antonelli in Formula 2 this season, while Lindblad is emerging in F3.
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
