Red Bull have endured a strange 2025, with main driver Max Verstappen’s talent shining through while constant questions are being asked of his teammate, Yuki Tsunoda.
Having already banked on ex-F2 drivers – Tsunoda and Lawson experienced decent success in the series – it seems the Austrian team will look for somebody more experienced, potentially IndyCar’s Alex Palou.
Despite Palou’s team owner Chip Ganassi stating the Spaniard will not make the move, it looks like the Red Bull pathway is restricted heading in to next year – and the same goes for entering the F1 grid.
Pepe Martí confesses that a career in F1 is not ‘Plan A’
In an interview with Spanish magazine Soy Motor, Red Bull junior Pepe Martí – full name Josep Maria Martí – spoke on his chances of getting into Formula 1:
“Plan A had always been F1. Right now, it’s clear that it’s not Plan A. I’m not going to lie… obviously it’s still my main goal.”
📰🇬🇧| Pepe admits that his path to F1 is not his main option right now:
‘Plan A had always been F1. Right now, it’s clear that it’s not Plan A. I’m not going to lie. Obviously, you always think, “Let’s see if…”, and obviously it’s still my main goal, F1, like any driver in… pic.twitter.com/uKAAuROxyZ
— Pepe Martí Updates (@PMartiUpdates) September 8, 2025
There have been many situations where drivers who do well in Formula 2 are not ever given the opportunity to race in F1, with both 2022 and 2023 F2 champions, Felipe Drugovich and Théo Pourchaire, both never being offered a contract to race for any of the 10 teams.
Pourchaire experienced moderate success in a brief stint in IndyCar last season, and moving to another series is something Marti has considered as well:
“There are many championships in the world. The goal is the same. Always, no matter where I am, try to get the most out of it.”
As of now, Martí has not confirmed where he will race for 2026.
Who is Pepe Martí?
IMAGO / PsnewZ
Pepe Martí is a 20-year-old Spanish racer who is a part of the Red Bull Academy.
After debuting in Formula 3 in 2022 with Campos, he made the move up to Formula 2 in 2024 with the same team and came 14th in his rookie season, winning one sprint race and picking up 62 points.
So far in 2025 he has fared significantly better, with three wins to his name – all in sprint races, at Bahrain, Austria and Hungary.
Josep María Martí added a second race win to his @Formula2 season, winning the Spielberg Sprint Race for Campos Racing.#FIA #F2 #AustrianGP 🇦🇹 pic.twitter.com/DW3QsRk9Lt
— FIA (@fia) June 28, 2025
He sits 6th in the championship, 62 points off of championship leader Leonardo Fornaroli, with three rounds left to go.
“The better I do right now, the more options I’ll have for 2026, for whatever I want to do. My focus is on that, on what I can do, by myself, and that’s it.”
Martí, on his 2025 season
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