Red Bull could target two race-winning drivers if Max Verstappen leaves before 2026

Verstappen had taken the lead in the first lap, but Red Bull he was overtaken by Sainz after a flash bomb in turn one. On lap 10, the Dutchman was involved in another incident with Norris as he pushed the McLaren off the track at turns four and 10, allowing Leclerc to pass for a one-two lead on the Ferrari.

Verstappen received a 20-second penalty for incidents and dropped him to the back of the field. Helmut Marko believes the stewards were trying to set an example with the 20-second penalty, but admitted the Red Bull driver deserved a harsh penalty.

The 27-year-old recovered to finish sixth, while team-mate Sergio Perez finished last of the classified drivers in 17th. A dismal weekend for Red Bull allowed Ferrari to move ahead of them into second Constructors’ Championship.

The result means Verstappen’s winless run since Spain continues, and he has claimed just four podiums since that race. The Dutchman will certainly not be happy with the team’s current trajectory compared to their rivals and will give ammunition to rumors that he could leave the team.

Red Bull could target Oscar Piastri or Carlos Sainz to replace Max Verstappen

Verstappen reportedly has an exit clause in his contract with Red Bull which allows him to leave the team before it expires in 2028.

The Dutchman has been linked with a move since it was announced that Adrian Newey will leave Red Bull for Aston Martin after two decades with the Milton Keynes outfit. Since then, several drivers have been linked with Red Bull as potential replacements for Verstappen.

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Red Bull have made no secret of their interest in Oscar Piastri with the young McLaren driver’s high potential and impressive performances in F1 so far. Zak Brown insisted his two drivers weren’t going anywherewith the Australian contracted until at least 2026.

Sainz had been linked with Red Bull as he looked for his next move after Ferrari was shown the door in favor of Lewis Hamilton. While he ended up signing with Williams, Sainz has a clause in his contract that would allow him to leave if he receives an offer from Mercedes or Red Bull.

Speaking on The Race F1 Podcast, Scott Mitchell-Malm has a “feeling” that Red Bull will target Piastri and Sainz if they lose Verstappen.

“We are potentially six or seven months away from another fascinating driver market with 2026 around the corner. What’s going on with Max Verstappen at Red Bull?” he said.

“If Max leaves Red Bull, it’s Armageddon in the driver market because Red Bull will have to get an A-lister and my guess is they’ll go for either Oscar Piastri or Carlos Sainz. That would be my feeling.

“Logically, taking George Russell makes sense and the only way I think they lose Verstappen is if Verstappen moves to Mercedes and then Russell is on the market.”

How realistic is it that Max Verstappen could leave Red Bull?

It’s clear that Red Bull’s performance has dipped compared to last season, with McLaren and Ferrari now boasting a stronger package.

If their current trajectory continues and their rivals continue to make strides in their development, particularly with the new technical regulations coming in 2026, Verstappen could be tempted to explore other options.

Aston Martin are interested in Verstappenand after the signing of Newey, it would make sense for the Dutchman to reunite with the legendary engineer who hopes to build the team to success as he has done throughout his career.

However, the The Verstappen camp is said to favor Mercedes after having discussions with the team this year. With George Russell’s contract up at the end of 2025, there could be an opening at the Silver Arrows that could be of interest to the Dutchman if Red Bull can’t offer him a competitive car.

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