Follow us on Google Discover Red Bull are drawing up contingency plans in the event that Max Verstappen departs. The world champion has committed to the team for 2026 but his future beyond that is uncertain.
While Verstappen’s contract runs until the end of 2028, there are exit clauses that could facilitate a departure before that point. It will all depend on how competitive Red Bull, running their own engine for the first time, are under the new regulations.
It’s said that Verstappen has an agreement with Red Bull allowing him to leave for 2027 if he expresses a desire to do so. This was a condition of him agreeing to stay put for another year.
When Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull’s other four-time champion, left Ferrari in 2015, the team promoted from within by signing Daniil Kvyat. This reflects their philosophy of giving young talent a chance to shine, though that has delivered particularly mixed results of late.
Isack Hadjar seen as the perfect successor if Max Verstappen leaves Red Bull
According to a report from De Limburger, ‘everyone’ at Red Bull is ‘convinced’ about the talents of Isack Hadjar. In fact, they see the Racing Bulls driver as the ‘ideal’ man to ‘eventually succeed’ Verstappen.
The Frenchman is poised to replace Yuki Tsunoda in the second Red Bull cockpit next year. But there’s a belief at Milton Keynes that he has number-one driver potential in the long term.
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Helmut Marko is eager to confirm Hadjar’s promotion, but others within Red Bull are calling for a more patient approach. Perhaps staying at Racing Bulls for his sophomore season would be better for his development – he could be ‘swallowed whole’ by Verstappen if he joins too early, as other drivers have been.
This proposal was discussed with Hadjar, who was realistic about his prospects. He’s under ‘no illusions’ about the difficulty of beating the Dutchman.
Isack Hadjar is already showing one signature Max Verstappen trait
Rob Smedley says Hadjar has been one of F1’s top three drivers this year. While that’s a particularly bold claim, many in the paddock would recognise him as the standout rookie of 2025.
Last year’s F2 runner-up has produced one of the most exciting seasons ever seen at Red Bull’s sister team, highlighted by a podium at the Dutch GP.
Marko has already compared Hadjar to Verstappen given his ability to get up to speed immediately on new race tracks. Hadjar is unfamiliar with several F1 venues that don’t feature on the junior calendars.