The Max Verstappen Red Bull replacement that will never happen, but definitely should

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F1 Silly Season 2026

The Max Verstappen Red Bull replacement that will never happen, but definitely should

Do it Red Bull, do it now!

Dan Ripley Global Editor

Professional F1 journalist and analyst

Friday 10 July 2026 19:45

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Let's play Red Bull war games. Max Verstappen has decided he wants to leave and they need a replacement, filling that void is no small task.

We need to look at what Verstappen brings to Red Bull. He is the best driver in Formula 1, a four-time world champion, one of the most marketable and charismatic drivers on the grid, and from a Red Bull perspective knows the team better than any driver.

Quite simply, Red Bull cannot directly replace this even if they could cherry pick any driver they wish. Even the great Lewis Hamilton had to endure a season of pain at Ferrari before starting to dovetail with the Maranello ways.

But Hamilton isn't an option, and that makes things even more difficult.

Oscar Piastri to Red Bull?

The most talked about move for Red Bull is a driver swap that sees Verstappen finally get his hands on what he hopes is a much faster McLaren.

Of course, three drivers into two doesn't go and with Lando Norris the world champion and very much McLaren family, it would likely be Oscar Piastri out, and in the shape of this year's silly season, replacing Verstappen at Red Bull.

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Piastri is a quick driver, and unfortunate not to be world champion himself in 2025. But he does appear to lack that presence a No. 1 driver should bring to a team. A common trend among world champions and most popular drivers in this century has been a ruthless, almost spikiness, approach to their craft. It's something that seems absent from the Australian.

Piastri to Red Bull is a downgrade for the team in every metric. Perhaps reliable enough to bring in the points but Red Bull would be accepting a backstep dressed up as minimal risk.

Would Red Bull sign George Russell?

This option has been fading day by day, but on the assumption Toto Wolff rug pulls all of us by signing Verstappen for Mercedes, it seems more and more likely it would be George Russell making way for him, given the remarkable rise of championship leader Kimi Antonelli.

George Russell is an outside shot to replace Max Verstappen

The issue here is exactly the same Red Bull would have with Piastri. Would Red Bull really accept their new No. 1 driver to be the guy struggling to even get the better of his team-mate at another team.

Russell is another driver down on every metric compared to Verstappen. In fact, I don't know why I've already wasted three paragraphs talking about Russell to Red Bull when to describe this move I should have just left it at 'See Oscar Piastri'... sorry.

Carlos Sainz has itchy feet

Williams has proven to be a frustrating two years for Sainz, who no doubt feels he should be competing at the top. With good reason too. He was a good match for Charles Leclerc at Ferrari, and if some of you older folks remember kept Verstappen very honest during their Toro Rosso rookie year in 2015 despite the points difference.

Ok, so I've admitted in that last sentence that Sainz is slightly slower than Verstappen, but he is a popular driving with good winning pedigree. Importantly he has a better idea than many rivals of how the Red Bull system works. Well, I say that but pretty much all the big chiefs have departed Red Bull since Sainz was last there - still he has some advantage.

Either way, Sainz offers everything Piastri and Russell do and maybe just a little more. However, going for Sainz would also be the wrong move for Red Bull.

In reality there is only one driver Red Bull should be going for and it shouldn't even be a debate.

Operation Fernando Alonso to Red Bull

This move very nearly happened in the past. Alonso turned down Red Bull in 2009 over fears of committing himself to a multi-year deal to replace the retiring David Coulthard. This sounds a mental thing to do but at this point Red Bull hadn't even won a race and the prospect of Ferrari for 2010 was in the picture for the two-time world champion.

Alonso hasn't had a better chance to join Red Bull since, and probably for the first time since 2009 Red Bull need a driver like the Spaniard more than they ever have. Alonso has the presence, the world championships and still the speed at nearly 45 years old. Ignore the Aston Martin performances this season, how can anyone be judged on that alleged car?

Fernando Alonso is the best driver option to replace Max Verstappen

Alonso to Red Bull is the aggressive option. It is the fun option. The issue is the range of error of how such a move can work out. Alonso could be the direct speed replacement to Verstappen, or we could find out late in 2027 that not even a 46-year-old Alonso can escape the effects of getting old.

The only other argument against it is Alonso's knack for jumping into cars at the wrong time. Would any of us be surprised if Red Bull slumped to the midfield in 2027 under Alonso while Adrian Newey has built a rocket ship at Aston Martin?

But Red Bull should still try. The alternative is taking the plunge on a driver slower than Verstappen anyway. Alonso is the answer for Red Bull but sadly they likely won't even entertain the idea.

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Written by

Dan Ripley - Global Editor

I've been a massive F1 fan since the mid 1990s and continue to study the history of the sport long before that. As an experienced motor sport reporter covering F1, MotoGP and the LeMans 24 Hour race, being part of GPFans has allowed me to work with a diverse team with all sorts of different backgrounds in watching the sport and given me a greater appreciation of F1.

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F1 Max Verstappen George Russell Oscar Piastri Carlos Sainz Fernando Alonso