Red Bull told to replace Max Verstappen with F1 'gem', but there is a catch

Verstappen looking confused in front of Red Bull garage with mystery driver silhouette to his right — Photo: © IMAGO

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Red Bull told to replace Max Verstappen with F1 'gem', but there is a catch

Could this be Verstappen's F1 successor?

Kerry Violet F1 News Editor

F1 editor and journalist covering motorsport since 2024.

Wednesday 15 July 2026 19:45

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Red Bull have been told to replace four-time world champion Max Verstappen with an F1 'gem' should the Dutchman decide to leave after this season.

At the British Grand Prix last time out, Verstappen once again suffered a session-ending incident when he crashed out of the main event at Silverstone with just four laps to go.

That marked the second crash in as many race weekends where the Dutchman had simply become a passenger to his frustratingly unreliable RB22, something which doesn't play into Red Bull's hands considering the four-time champion is on the verge of being able to activate his early exit contract clause.

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If the 28-year-old isn't in the top two of the drivers' standings by the summer break (two race weekends from now) then he is believed to be able to kickstart the process of an early exit from his Red Bull contract.

Verstappen currently sits P7 in the championship, making it mathematically impossible for him to make the jump up to second by the end of the month.

As a result, rumours have spread over a potential switch to McLaren that could see Oscar Piastri take his place at Red Bull, although GPFans understands McLaren, their CEO Zak Brown and Piastri are all happy with the current partnership.

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Bearman linked with Red Bull role

As the F1 rumour mill has spread this narrative, McLaren and Red Bull have rushed to dispel it, but the chance of Verstappen leaving the energy drink giants does look more likely than ever.

Pundit and former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher assessed the situation on the German Sky Sports F1 podcast ‘Backstage Boxengasse’, suggesting that if Verstappen does opt for a change, talented Haas youngster Ollie Bearman would be a strong choice.

"If it were possible to sign him, my first choice would be Oliver Bearman, if you feel you can’t rely on (Isack) Hadjar. I, for one, would say you can rely on him," said the six-time grand prix winner.

Schumacher then turned his attention to weighing up the other stars on the grid who could be a suitable fit for Red Bull, adding: "Then there’s Carlos Sainz, who is a good driver. The only problem is that he hasn’t yet proven he can compete for the world championship – but Sainz has done a good job."

Schumacher highlights Ferrari catch

But the brother of seven-time champion Michael Schumacher didn't fail to notice that there would be one major issue blocking a move to Red Bull for Bearman: the fact he's still a member of the Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy.

"He has great potential and a clear head, is likeable and, in my opinion, deserves a chance in a good car. The only question is why Ferrari should let him go - that’s beyond my imagination," the German continued.

"If Hamilton were to drive for just one more year, then the question is why they would let such a gem go?"

Bearman is currently competing in his sophomore F1 championship and his second season with Haas, having impressed by consistently beating his much more experienced team-mate, Esteban Ocon.

There are rumours that multiple drivers are in the running to replace Ocon for 2027, but if Verstappen is heading out the door at Red Bull, perhaps the American squad could be looking at a move for Bearman and a completely new driver lineup next season?

Written by

Kerry Violet - F1 News Editor

Having graduated from the University of Sheffield with a 2:1 in Journalism in 2022, Kerry continued her pursuit of finding a full-time position in motorsport through work with the F1 Arcade in London, where she got to meet true fans of the sport and make a live grand prix watch party memorable for them. It was here that she confirmed her dream of combining her background in journalism and love of motorsport, going on to volunteer with the female-led platform Empoword Journalism. Having completed stints as a screen editor and sports editor, Kerry landed her first F1-specific editorial role with GPFans and has thoroughly enjoyed continuing to work closely with the sport ever since. The access GPFans offers Kerry has allowed her to interview big names such as Naomi Schiff and David Coulthard and given her experiences she could only have dreamt of as a young F1 fan.

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F1 Red Bull Max Verstappen Ralf Schumacher Ollie Bearman