With Max Verstappen facing a tense few months with his Formula 1 penalty points hitting 11 out of 12, who would substitute for the Dutchman at Red Bull if he was given a one-race ban.
The four-time world champion picked up three points for his part in the collision with George Russell’s Mercedes at the end of the Spanish Grand Prix last weekend and will not see any points drop from his license until after the Austrian Grand Prix at the end of June, with the Canadian GP to come before then.
With only two falling off before October 27, Verstappen faces a nervous middle stint of the season which takes in eight races – of which two are sprint weekends.
So who could replace him alongside Yuki Tsunoda?
Red Bull replacements
Red Bull could find a substitute for Max Verstappen from drivers who have already raced for the team.
Isack Hadjar
The obvious candidate would be Isack Hadjar, who has greatly impressed with his form in his rookie season. Shrugging off the disappointment of crashing on the formation lap of his debut in Australia, the Frenchman has arguably been the star of the season, sitting ninth in the drivers’ standings and only prevented a better points haul by questionable strategy early on in the year.
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Moving Hadjar into the Red Bull for a race weekend would give the team’s hierarchy a like-for-like comparison between Hadjar and Tsunoda as the race to partner Verstappen for 2026 hots up – so perhaps a blessing in disguise.
Liam Lawson
Perhaps Liam Lawson’s ship has sailed when it comes to a future with the parent Red Bull outfit but at least his form with Racing Bulls has stabilised in recent races after his brutal bump backwards after just two rounds this term.
The Kiwi may not give the comparison that Red Bull may want for next season as Hadjar would, but at least he does have knowledge of this year’s RB21 and could therefore make a strong candidate for a one-off substitute appearance if Verstappen is forced to step aside. That must count for something.
Sergio Perez
Could Red Bull fall back on its previous driver? It’s perhaps the safe option given that Sergio Perez is a known quantity, but ‘Checo’ has been out of a race car since the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and may bring some race rustiness.
Having said that, Perez would be able to settle straight into the trackside engineering team and get down to business from the off in practice, albeit in a car he is yet to have driven. That would take some of the pressure off the entire garage for a weekend.
Racing Bulls replacement?
Red Bull could look to their junior ranks if the need a substitute for Max Verstappen.
Ayumu Iwasa
If Hadjar or Lawson are called upon, then Racing Bulls would need to find another driver from the Red Bull junior pipeline. Perez could easily fit the bill but perhaps this is a chance for new talent to make it onto the scene and Ayumu Iwasa does have F1 experience under his belt from rookie runs in free practice.
The Japanese driver twice drove in FP1s for then-RB last year before driving Verstappen’s car in front of his home crowd in first practice this term and while that may put him in the reckoning for the Red Bull berth, it is more likely he would slip into the Racing Bulls seat for a round.
Arvid Lindblad
Arvid Lindblad is one of the hottest young prospects and sits third in the current Formula 2 standings having picked two victories and a pole position so far this term.
He surpassed the requirements for his superlicense by dominating New Zealand’s Formula Regional Oceania championship in the winter and could be the answer should Racing Bulls need a seat filled, though because he is only 17, Red Bull would need an exemption from the FIA to allow Lindblad to take part before August, when he turns 18.
But age hasn’t stopped Red Bull in the past and it certainly isn’t stopping Kimi Antonelli with the current generation of F1 car. It would be a bold step but again, a chance to evaluate Lindblad ahead of a likely step up to F1 for next season.
Daniel Ricciardo
The great comeback? Highly unlikely but, like Perez, Ricciardo is a known quantity so could be a fallback option for the team. But two huge questions hang over the potential return of the Australian: Does youth win out? And will he even want to return to F1?
Ricciardo seemed fairly content to close the F1 chapter of his career when shunted aside by the same team for the final few races of last season when Lawson was promoted, so it would seem illogical for him to return for a one-off appearance. But stranger things have happened in the sport.
