F1 Today | Red Bull Racing won't force Verstappen to stay, Could this be Tsunoda's replacement?

Max Verstappen could leave Red Bull Racing at the end of the season, and, according to F1-Insider, the team won’t stand in his way if he decides to go. GPblog reported earlier that Verstappen will make his final decision by the summer break, with Mercedes emerging as the most likely alternative for 2026. Although Verstappen’s contract runs until mid-2028, Red Bull appears unwilling to keep a driver who no longer wants to stay.

F1-Insider suggests that even without triggering an exit clause, Verstappen could leave without major legal complications or astronomical compensation fees. The decision reflects the strong relationship Verstappen enjoys with Helmut Marko and Oliver Mintzlaff, with Red Bull reportedly uninterested in dragging out negotiations with the driver who delivered them the 2024 world title despite a far-from-dominant car.

With Yuki Tsunoda set to leave Red Bull Racing after 2025, attention now turns to who will partner Max Verstappen in 2026, assuming the Dutchman stays. As GPblog has reported, Helmut Marko, back firmly in charge of Red Bull’s driver program, is expected to stick to his tradition of promoting young talents rather than hiring from outside the team.

Isack Hadjar seems like the obvious choice. The Frenchman has impressed at Racing Bulls, consistently outperforming Liam Lawson, and has shown both speed and maturity. But Marko is known for bold moves, and Arvid Lindblad might just be the favorite.

The 17-year-old has been testing extensively on the Red Bull simulator and even participated in FP1 at Silverstone in the RB21, where he stayed surprisingly close to Verstappen’s times under pressure. Seen by many as “the new Max Verstappen,” Lindblad could skip the usual Racing Bulls route entirely.